Prabowo says free nutritious meals programme vital for people in difficult conditions

President Prabowo Subianto has said the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) programme plays an important role, especially for people living in difficult conditions.

He made the remarks in response to a request from Nagekeo Regent Simplisius Donatus for the MBG programme to be continued in his area, during a coordination meeting on earthquake impact handling at the 834/Wakanga Mere Territorial Development Battalion headquarters in Tonggurambang village, Mbay, East Nusa Tenggara, on Wednesday.

“For people who are well off, one portion of food means nothing. But for those who are in hardship, and the hardship lasts for days,” Prabowo said, as monitored online via the Presidential Secretariat broadcast in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The president said the benefits of MBG may not be strongly felt by affluent communities. However, for underprivileged people, nutritious food provided regularly can have a major impact.

Therefore, Prabowo assessed that MBG has an important role in helping the current generation, especially mothers and children.

“Thankfully he has graduated, but now what we are thinking about is mothers and children. So MBG plays a role,” he said.

Prabowo also believes the programme’s benefits will be even greater if supported by strengthening the people’s economy through the Red and White Village Cooperatives and the development of fishing villages.

He said he conducted an informal survey involving teachers at schools receiving the MBG programme. The result was that student attendance rates at those schools nearly reached 100 percent.

“I asked them to survey student attendance, nearly 100 percent, sir. Students where there is an MBG allocation have nearly 100 percent attendance rates,” said Simplisius.

Simplisius also said MBG provides economic benefits for beneficiary families. People involved in providing MBG earn income, helping to improve household economic conditions.

He linked these economic benefits to a decline in domestic violence cases in his area.