Prabowo Allocates Rp 72 Billion for Meugang Cattle in Aceh
PRESIDENT Prabowo Subianto has allocated Rp 72.75 billion for the purchase of meugang cattle—an Acehnese tradition ahead of Ramadan—for disaster-affected communities in Aceh Province. The day before entering the fasting month, the people of the “Veranda of Mecca” traditionally slaughter, cook, and enjoy meat together with family and relatives.
Citing a statement from the Indonesian Government Communication Agency, 1,455 meugang cattle were symbolically handed over by the Head of the Post-Disaster Accelerated Rehabilitation and Reconstruction (PRR) Task Force for Sumatra, Muhammad Tito Karnavian, on Tuesday, 10 February 2026.
“Amid the recovery period, this assistance is a manifestation of the President’s concern so that the people of Aceh can continue to maintain and celebrate the meugang tradition in welcoming Ramadan,” the Communication Agency wrote through its Instagram account @bakom.ri on Sunday, 15 February 2026.
The meugang cattle assistance was provided for 19 regencies/cities in Aceh: Lhokseumawe, Aceh Tamiang, Pidie Jaya, East Aceh, Bireuen, Langsa, North Aceh, West Aceh, Pidie, Central Aceh, Bener Meriah, Gayo Lues, Southeast Aceh, Aceh Singkil, Subulussalam, Aceh Besar, Nagan Raya, South Aceh, and Simeulue.
The Rp 72.5 billion in funds was channeled to the respective Regional General Treasury Accounts (RKUD) of each regency/city in Aceh. The Communication Agency confirmed that the assistance would be distributed no later than one day before Ramadan 1447 Hijriyah.
The Aceh Provincial Government stated that the President had transferred the funds for the meugang cattle tradition. “Thank God, the President has approved the request from the Aceh Provincial Government and the people of Aceh for meugang beef assistance, and the funds have been transferred,” said Aceh Deputy Governor Fadhlullah in Banda Aceh on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, as reported by Antara.
The assistance was channeled through a fund transfer mechanism from the Presidential Secretariat directly to the 19 regency/city governments. “Subsequently, the distribution of assistance to the public will be carried out by each regency/city government,” said Fadhlullah.
Previously, Aceh Governor Muzakir Manaf had requested central government assistance to guarantee the availability and stability of beef stocks for meugang. Mualem—as Muzakir Manaf is commonly known—conveyed this during a coordination meeting of the DPR Post-Disaster Recovery Task Force in Banda Aceh on Tuesday, 30 December 2025.
“We are approaching Ramadan soon, sir. In Aceh, if there is no meugang, no eating meat, it feels like Ramadan isn’t complete,” said Mualem.
Mualem noted that beef prices in Aceh are the highest in all of Indonesia. On normal days, he said, prices reach Rp 200,000 per kilogram. Amid the disaster situation, prices could surge even higher. The reason is that many residents lost their livestock due to flash floods and landslides that struck three Sumatran provinces simultaneously at the end of November 2025.