Prabowo Won't Stop MBG Amid Crisis Concerns: 'We Have the Money

March 23, 2026 | 12:23 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has insisted that his flagship Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program will continue, even amid growing concerns over fiscal pressures and the impact of the Middle East crisis.

He said the government still has other ways to tighten spending without halting what he considers a priority program.

Prabowo made the remarks during a roundtable discussion with journalists and experts at his private residence in Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.

During the session, he stressed that the government would press ahead with the MBG program despite mounting economic uncertainty linked to the conflict in the Middle East.

“Don’t go in the direction of, ‘Okay, there’s a crisis, then we’ll stop MBG.’ There are still many other ways in which we can save,” Prabowo said, according to a video of the interview released by the Presidential Secretariat on Sunday, March 22, 2026.

The Gerindra Party chairperson said his commitment to the program was shaped by what he saw during the election campaign, when he encountered many children suffering from stunting or chronic malnutrition.

He recalled meeting a child who appeared to be around four years old but said he was actually 11. Prabowo said that experience reinforced his belief that the MBG program could help address the problem.

“We have the money. I stake my leadership on it, let’s see in 2029,” he said.

According to Prabowo, the funding for the free meals program comes from budget efficiencies. “Rather than the money being corrupted, it’s better for my people to be able to eat,” he said.

Prabowo also said he believed the campaign-promised program was progressing well. He claimed the initiative had drawn praise from the Rockefeller Institute in the United States, saying it had described MBG as the best kind of investment.

Still, Prabowo acknowledged that the rollout has faced significant problems. He said the government had shut down 1,000 Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG), or kitchens providing MBG meals, due to operational issues.

A number of economists, however, have urged the government to cut the MBG budget. They argue that reducing spending on the program would be the easiest option as the government seeks to streamline ministry and agency budgets to avoid the risk of a widening state budget (APBN) deficit.

Didin Damanhuri, a professor at IPB University, said the MBG budget, which is set at Rp335 trillion this year, should be focused on areas with high rates of stunting and severe malnutrition. Based on his calculations, a more targeted allocation would reduce spending on the program to around Rp40 trillion to Rp50 trillion.

“So, the remaining budget can help avoid deficits, finance rising oil prices, support social assistance, and cover various development needs,” Didin said during a virtual discussion on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.

Dipo Satria Ramli, an economist at the Center of Reform on Economics (CORE) Indonesia, recommended a similar approach.

“All rating agencies, many economists commented, should just cut MBG, that’s the easiest and simplest,” he said.

Economists say trimming the MBG budget could send a positive signal to markets and economic actors, showing that the government recognizes the current fiscal challenges.

Global ratings agency Fitch Ratings has previously highlighted the MBG program as a potential risk to state finances, warning that it could push government spending beyond the budget target.

Ilona Estherina contributed to the writing of this article.

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