Prabowo: I'm Attacked Over Free Nutritious Meals, But Trillions Vanish Without Protest

President Prabowo Subianto has once again addressed those who criticise the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme. Prabowo expressed surprise that the programme is considered wasteful, while the leakage of state wealth amounting to thousands of trillions over several decades has not been widely questioned. This was conveyed by Prabowo while giving directives at a Plenary Cabinet Session at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Monday (20/7/2026). Prabowo initially stressed that one measure of a country’s success is its ability to meet the food needs of its people. “Every economy is certainly measured, and we have a measure. We ask whether the nation can provide food, can feed its people. That is the measure. What is the point of having the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia if we cannot provide the foundation of a civilisation? The most basic foundation is providing food, sustenance,” said Prabowo. “If there are clever people who think there is something more important than a hungry stomach, I invite you to go ahead. What I know from thousands of years of human civilisation is that no society survives without food. They perish. Civilisations perish if they do not eat,” he continued. Prabowo said the government continues to strive to ensure food prices remain under control, fertiliser is available at affordable prices for farmers, and schoolchildren receive nutritious meals through the MBG programme. “We are now asking, are food prices under control? Is fertiliser available for farmers at affordable prices? We are asking whether schools are receiving nutritious meals,” he stated. Prabowo then highlighted the ongoing criticism directed at the government regarding the implementation of the MBG programme. According to him, the programme specifically targets the groups most in need. “Ladies and gentlemen, I am attacked because I want to provide nutritious meals for Indonesian children, to feed children, pregnant women, and the elderly. This is considered wasteful,” he said. Prabowo then compared this criticism to the lack of attention given to the leakage of state wealth, which he claimed has been occurring for decades. “But thousands of trillions that have evaporated, that have left the land of Indonesia over 34 years, there are no comments, no experts protesting, no investigations,” he remarked.