Meeting BGN Leadership, Luhut Offers Advice for Free Nutritious Meal Programme

Chairman of the National Economic Council (DEN) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan has suggested the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) refine the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme in stages. Speaking to reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday (24/6/2026), Luhut explained that his office had received a visit from the Deputy Head of BGN and his team to evaluate the implementation of the priority programme to date. According to Luhut, one of the key lessons from the MBG rollout is the need for a more gradual approach in implementing large-scale policies. With more measured phases, programme obstacles can be more easily identified, allowing adjustments to be prepared before coverage is expanded comprehensively. “We presented our survey results and proposals. It is again about efficiency, and why everything has to be done all at once. It can be done in stages, until we understand it better,” he said. Nonetheless, Luhut believes that after more than a year of implementation, the understanding of operational needs and technical challenges is now much better than during the initial launch. DEN is optimistic that the quality of the programme’s execution will continue to improve over the next six months to a year, in line with growing experience and governance improvements. From an economic perspective, Luhut assessed that the MBG programme has a significant impact because it involves a flow of funds that goes directly to the community. He acknowledged that the relatively rapid execution in the early stages caused some issues on the ground, but noted that various obstacles have been addressed through coordination between the government and relevant stakeholders. He therefore urged all parties to allow room for the ongoing improvement process. As of May 2026, the realisation of the MBG programme reached Rp 88.15 trillion, an increase of 17.53 percent compared to the April 2026 figure of Rp 75 trillion. In detail, 48.9 million of the recipients are students, while 14.3 million are non-students, including pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and toddlers. The government has also reduced the programme’s budget ceiling in the 2026 State Budget from the original Rp 335 trillion to Rp 268 trillion. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa explained that the decision was an instruction from President Prabowo Subianto to ensure the MBG programme funds can be managed more efficiently. He also signalled there would be further budget savings for the programme, though he did not detail the specific plan.