President Prabowo instructs free nutritious meal programme to prioritise vulnerable groups

President Prabowo Subianto has instructed his administration to review the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme so that it is prioritised for groups most in need, including communities in the lowest economic deciles and areas with high stunting prevalence.

Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Agustina Arumsari stated that the President requested all inputs regarding the programme’s implementation be examined before any decisions are made. “He listened to all the feedback from the meeting participants; there were various suggestions,” Agustina said after meeting the President at the Presidential Palace complex in Jakarta on Wednesday.

She explained that the President directed that the programme should be streamlined. “Those who do not need to receive the MBG programme anymore, please, do not give it to them. But those in the lowest deciles, in underdeveloped regions, and in areas with high stunting prevalence, please provide it,” she said.

Agustina noted that this directive serves as a basis for the BGN to improve the implementation of the programme, which reaches millions of beneficiaries. “For us, this is an order from the President to all ministries assisting the BGN leadership to fix this, because we know it is not easy as it involves millions of beneficiaries,” she said.

She added that the BGN will first improve the beneficiary data so that the government can make appropriate decisions in line with the President’s instructions.