Prabowo Holds Hours-Long Meeting on Free Nutritious Meals and Village Cooperatives at the Palace, Here Are the Results

President Prabowo Subianto held a limited meeting regarding the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives and the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Wednesday. The meeting lasted from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Western Indonesia Time.

Following the meeting, Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan explained the outcomes. He clarified that the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives are not intended to become retail outlets or supermarkets, but rather infrastructure for distributing public aid. "The decision is that all social assistance and subsidised goods will be channelled through the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives," Zulkifli stated during a press briefing on Wednesday evening.

Furthermore, the cooperatives will act as an offtaker for locally produced commodities, particularly when market prices fall below the government’s set floor price. "If the price of grain, corn, and other products drops below the government-determined price, the cooperative will act as the buyer," he explained.

Regarding the Free Nutritious Meals programme, the meeting agreed to resolve all issues of misuse and obstacles within one month. "We are asking for one month to tidy things up. After that, we will report the next steps to the president for a final decision and direction," Zulkifli said. He noted that some locations eligible for the programme still lack the necessary SPPG (Meal Fulfilment Service Units).

The meeting was also attended by Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency Agustina Arumsari, Major General Trenggono, Trade Minister Budi Santoso, Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, and Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration Yandri Susanto, among others.