MBG Viewed Not Only as Nutrition Improvement, but as Safeguarding National Resilience

Jakarta, VIVA – The Free Nutritious Meal Programme (MBG) implemented by President Prabowo Subianto has drawn a range of responses from the public. Many people support the programme, but there are also many who criticise it.

Muhammad Natsir, head of the National Youth Committee (DPP KNPI), rejected the claim that MBG cuts the education budget. According to him, President Prabowo Subianto has actually prioritised education through the construction of rakyat schools across Indonesia.

‘MBG does not terminate access to education. In fact, President Prabowo has built hundreds of rakyat schools across Indonesia,’ Natsir said at a discussion hosted by the Jakarta Journalist Center, entitled ‘Outlook Economy 2026: MBG Investment for the Nation’, quoted on Saturday 7 March 2026.

In the future, Natsir said, war will not only be about bearing arms. The most tangible is ideological warfare, which preys on children.

‘So MBG is not merely about improving children’s nutrition but about safeguarding national resilience,’ he asserted.

Natsir argued that MBG’s impact has significantly boosted regional economic growth. Many sectors of the economy have grown because of the programme.

‘For instance in NTT, MBG materials are sourced from local farmers’ produce. Therefore farmers also feel positive impacts from MBG,’ he said.

Natsir acknowledged there are still several shortcomings in MBG’s implementation. This is understandable given the programme has only been running for about a year.

‘So do not compare with developed countries that have implemented MBG for decades. We are still in our early years,’ he explained.

According to Natsir, there is indeed a need to evaluate MBG’s implementation to minimise unwanted incidents. One method is tightening the oversight of MBG’s implementation.

‘What is important now is supervision to prevent poisoning, not pushing the government to stop MBG,’ he said.

In addition to Natsir, the discussion was attended by Imran Ghifari, President of BEM Nusantara DKI Jakarta, and public policy expert Trubus Rahadiansyah from Trisakti University.