Top 3: Prabowo Upholds Free Nutritious Meals Until RI Does Not Promise BoP Contributions
President Prabowo Subianto’s stance on maintaining the free nutritious meals (MBG) programme has sparked public discussion amid calls for a comprehensive evaluation of this flagship government initiative. Prabowo stated that the programme will continue despite budgetary challenges facing the government.
In addition to MBG, Prabowo’s position on the Board of Peace (BoP) has garnered significant public attention. Prabowo claimed that Indonesia never promised to pay contributions to the forum established by the United States.
Here is a summary of the three most popular national news stories throughout Sunday, 22 March 2026.
- Prabowo Insists MBG Will Continue, Better Than Funds Being Corrupted
President Prabowo Subianto remains steadfast in continuing the free nutritious meals (MBG) programme amid intense criticism and fiscal challenges. He emphasised that the programme will proceed and stated it is better to use existing funds to feed the people than to have them corrupted.
Prabowo explained this during an interview session with several journalists and experts at his private residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday night, 17 March 2026, until early Wednesday morning, 18 March 2026. “I will hold on as much as possible. Rather than the money being corrupted, it’s better if my people can eat,” said Prabowo, quoted from the interview video shared by the Presidential Secretariat on Sunday, 22 March 2026.
President Prabowo recounted that during his campaigns, he had seen many children suffering from stunting or growth and development disorders due to malnutrition. “Don’t you see the stunted children? I see them. I’ve campaigned so many times, in the villages, I see,” said Prabowo.
- Prabowo Insists Never Promised US$1 Billion BoP Contribution
President Prabowo stated that he never promised to pay US$1 billion (approximately Rp17 trillion) in contributions to the BoP, an international body created by US President Donald Trump. According to Prabowo, Indonesia only committed to sending soldiers to the Gaza Strip through the International Stabilisation Force (ISF) under the Board of Peace command.
Prabowo explained this during an interview session with several journalists and experts at his private residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java. The question-and-answer session took place on Tuesday night, 17 March 2026, until early Wednesday morning, 18 March 2026.
President Prabowo emphasised that no financial commitments were ever promised to the United States regarding Indonesia’s participation in the Board of Peace. “We never said that we want to join with a US$1 billion contribution,” said Prabowo, quoted from the interview video shared by the Presidential Secretariat on Sunday, 22 March 2026.
- Advocacy Team Urges TNI to Release Photos of Suspects in Andrie Yunus Case
The Advocacy Team for Democracy (TAUD) has questioned the results of the investigation by the Indonesian National Armed Forces Military Police Centre (Puspom TNI) regarding the acid splashing case against human rights activist Andrie Yunus. This arises due to the lack of transparency from the TNI regarding the identities of the four alleged perpetrators who are claimed to have been arrested.
According to TAUD, the TNI’s statements cannot yet be verified as true. “We urge Puspom TNI to be transparent and accountable by releasing photos or directly showing the perpetrators,” said TAUD in a written statement sent by KontraS administrator Jane Rosalina on Sunday, 22 March 2026.
The publication of information in the form of photos of the alleged perpetrators is considered important so that the public can verify the truth of the TNI’s statements. This is increasingly relevant due to differences in information between the TNI and the Metro Jaya Regional Police (Polda). The police have released the identities and photos of two alleged perpetrators, initialled BHC and MAK, based on collected evidence.