Prabowo Furious, Says Many Infiltrators Are Stealing from Free Nutritious Meals Programme

President Prabowo Subianto has insisted the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme will continue even though the government has found indications of irregularities by certain individuals. Prabowo even accused ‘infiltrators’ of entering the management of the MBG. “We will continue the MBG (Free Nutritious Meals)! But we understand and we are aware that many have infiltrated the body of the MBG to become thieves there,” Prabowo said during the simultaneous inauguration of five dams in West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Friday (10/7/2026). He therefore requested all regional heads and security forces to help oversee the programme’s implementation. Specifically, Prabowo called on governors, regents, sub-district heads, and village chiefs to conduct direct inspections of the kitchens providing the free nutritious meals. If irregularities are found, he asked for them to be reported immediately to the Head of the National Nutrition Agency or directly to himself. “It’s easy. Just speak up on TikTok and I will immediately send a team to resolve it. Right? No need to make it difficult,” he said. “This telephone number… Dandim, Kapolres, Kapolsek, please inspect, inspect, inspect in a good way. Don’t summon people just to extort them, don’t. I have been an Indonesian for a long time. Summoning people to demand kickbacks… Let the people monitor! The people are not stupid now, the people have gadgets,” Prabowo added. On the occasion, Prabowo also did not deny there was cheating in the provision of MBG portions, such as the number of chicken pieces given. “For us, one chicken should be cut into eight or ten pieces, right. At the smallest, twelve. Don’t let it be cut into eighteen or twenty-two,” he said. Prabowo also advised the Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, not to cook omelettes in the MBG programme, so that the nutrition provided to children is clear. “Mrs Nanik, for the MBG, don’t make omelettes. Make boiled or sunny-side-up eggs! Yes. Because omelettes are usually mixed with all sorts of things. Four people could eat one chicken that way. Especially what’s it called… scrambled, what is scrambled? Orek! Especially that orek. Later the orek will be even less,” he said. Prabowo added that the MBG is a strategic programme for the growth and development of the nation’s children. “They can become healthy farmers, they can become good workers, they can become scientists, they can become doctors. If from childhood their food is not good, they will not reach their maximum potential. We might be the only country that feeds pregnant women. Try checking, is there any other?” he said.