August 14, 2026 | 12:57 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto said his government will continue Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program while seeking to improve its implementation and reduce costs.
“I am determined to continue the MBG program with improvements and efficiency,” Prabowo said in his state address at the Annual Session of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR) and a joint session of the House of Representatives (DPR) and Regional Representatives Council (DPD) in Jakarta on Friday, August 14, 2026.
The pledge signals the government's intention to maintain one of Prabowo's flagship programs despite the need to address problems surrounding its implementation.
Prabowo Links Program to Child Nutrition
Prabowo said nutrition should be a starting point for the government's broader human development agenda.
“We start with the most basic need, which is nutrition. Our children must not study while hungry. No child can learn well when they are hungry,” he said.
He said the MBG program was intended to address malnutrition among children in several regions.
Prabowo claimed that malnutrition prevalence in some areas remained at around 25 percent, or roughly one in four Indonesian children. He also linked poor nutrition to stunting and impaired physical development.
“We cannot accept one in four Indonesian children experiencing stunting. We cannot accept that,” he said.
Government Plans MBG Improvements
Rather than announcing an expansion of the program, Prabowo emphasized that MBG would continue with changes aimed at improving efficiency.
The program has become one of the administration's major policy initiatives, providing meals to students and other targeted groups across Indonesia.
Its implementation, however, has faced scrutiny over issues including food safety, distribution and spending efficiency.
Prabowo did not provide further details in his speech on what specific changes would be made to the program or how the government would measure the promised efficiency gains.
He made the remarks during the annual parliamentary sessions held ahead of Indonesia's 81st Independence Day on August 17. The session included his report on government performance and his state address marking the anniversary.
The government's presentation at the session also included a video highlighting its reported achievements.
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