Strong Reasons Why Prabowo Will Not Cut the MBG Budget

President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto has ensured that the free nutritious meals (MBG) programme will continue amid budget efficiency policies due to the impact of the Middle East conflict. Furthermore, Prabowo revealed that this programme improves the quality of Indonesia’s human resources (HR), particularly in reducing stunting rates. In addition, MBG has broad economic impacts through job creation from the food supply chain to the production side. He also assured the public that the government has sufficient funds to finance MBG. Regarding savings, he assessed that there are many ways to save without cutting MBG. “So, don’t go in the direction of okay, there’s a crisis, then we stop MBG. Right? There are still many other ways we can save. Still many. I am confident that I am on the right path. We have the money. We have the money. I stake my leadership, in 2029 we will see,” said Prabowo in a discussion session with journalists and observers held some time ago, quoted on Wednesday (25/3/2026). Previously, State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi emphasised that there will be no reduction, shifting, or cutting of the government’s flagship programmes such as Free Nutritious Meals, Red White Village Cooperatives, and People’s Schools. “No way (cut), we prefer to reduce spending that is not effective or has little impact, that which is reallocated so that productive programmes that have impact and help ease the burden on the people are prioritised,” he stated. The government held a cross-Ministry and Agency (K/L) coordination meeting on Tuesday last (24/3/2026), led by Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto. This meeting discussed plans to readjust energy supplies amid the Middle East crisis and several economic policies. “In that meeting, various strategic views were conveyed as material for consideration in policy formulation,” wrote the Cabinet Secretariat’s Instagram account, quoted on Wednesday (25/3/2026). Unfortunately, the Cabinet Secretariat did not detail the results of the meeting. The meeting was conducted online and attended by Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, Investment Minister/Head of BKPM Rosan P. Roeslani, Minister of Basic and Secondary Education Abdul Mu’ti, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Brian Yulianto, and State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi.