Prabowo Will Not Halt MBG: We Have the Funds
President Prabowo Subianto insists he will not halt the free nutritious meals (MBG) programme. Prabowo claims there are many ways for the government to save money if a crisis occurs, without stopping that priority programme.
This statement on MBG was made during a roundtable discussion with several journalists and experts at Prabowo’s private residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday, 17 March 2026. In the interview session, Prabowo said the government would continue MBG amid the West Asia crisis situation.
“Do not go in the direction of, ‘Okay, there is a crisis, then we stop MBG’. There are still many other ways we can save,” said Prabowo, quoted from an interview video shared by the Presidential Secretariat on Sunday, 22 March 2026.
The Gerindra Party General Chairman explained that during his campaign, he saw many children suffering from stunting or chronic malnutrition. He recounted an incident with a child whose body appeared to be that of a 4-year-old. The child replied that he was 11 years old. Based on that experience, he believes the MBG project can be a solution.
“We have the money. I stake my leadership on it; by 2029, we will see,” said Prabowo.
According to Prabowo, funding for MBG comes from budget efficiency results. “Rather than money being corrupted, it is better if my people can eat,” he said.
Prabowo is confident that the programme, which was a campaign promise, will run well. That programme, he said, has received praise from the Rockefeller Institute in the United States. Prabowo stated that Rockefeller described MBG as the best investment.
However, Prabowo does not deny that the MBG programme has many problems in its implementation. The government, he said, has closed a thousand nutritional fulfilment service units (SPPG), or MBG provider kitchens, that were problematic.
Several economists are urging the government to cut the MBG budget. Cutting MBG funds is seen as the easiest option amid the government’s plans to efficiency budgets for ministries/institutions to avoid the risk of deficits in the state revenue and expenditure budget (APBN).
Professor at Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), Didin Damanhuri, stated that the MBG budget allocated this year of Rp 335 trillion should focus on stunting and malnutrition areas. Based on his calculations, with reallocation of that budget, MBG would likely only spend around Rp 40-50 trillion.
“So the other budget can avoid deficits, fund rising oil prices, fund social assistance, and various development needs,” said Didin in an online discussion on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.
Economist from the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia, Dipo Satria Ramli, also suggested similar steps. “All rating agencies, many economists comment, we should just cut MBG, that is the easiest and simplest,” he said.
Cutting the MBG budget is seen as able to give positive sentiment to market players and economic actors that the government understands the current fiscal problems. The global rating agency, Fitch Ratings, previously highlighted the MBG programme, which is seen as risky to cause the realisation of APBN expenditure to swell beyond the set target.