Arnoldus Kristianus, Jakarta – Indonesia has trimmed the budget for its flagship Free Meal Program (MBG) by an estimated Rp 67 trillion ($3.77 billion) as President Prabowo Subianto pushes for broader government spending efficiency, while insisting the cuts will not weaken the program's reach to millions of students.
The program's allocation has been reduced from Rp 335 trillion to Rp 268 trillion, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said on Tuesday, describing the move as part of efforts to improve spending management rather than scale back benefits.
"For now, the figure stands at Rp 268 trillion, but there is still room for further improvements and the calculations are ongoing. So people should stop blaming the Free Meal Program. The President is improving the program's management and the way the funds are spent," Purbaya said during the May edition of the APBN KiTa press conference at the Finance Ministry office.
Purbaya stressed that the budget reduction reflected tighter government oversight over the program and showed that it remained open to evaluation.
"The program is not immune to feedback. The President is calculating the best way to achieve savings without disrupting the program's effectiveness in providing meals for schoolchildren. That is the main priority," he said.
Despite the budget cuts, spending realization for the program has continued to rise throughout 2026. Budget absorption reached Rp 19.55 trillion in January before climbing to Rp 38.97 trillion in February, Rp 55.34 trillion in March, and Rp 75 trillion in April.
The number of beneficiaries has also continued to increase. Recipients totaled 39.7 million people in October 2025, rising to 43.9 million in November and 50.8 million in December.
Entering 2026, the number reached 60 million beneficiaries in January, 61.1 million in February, and 61.8 million in March. As of April 2026, the program had reached around 62 million people nationwide.
Most beneficiaries came from school-age groups. In April alone, student recipients totaled 48.8 million people, while non-student beneficiaries stood at 13.2 million.
"This is a good program and we will continue supporting it, while improving its efficiency going forward," Purbaya said.
Source: https://jakartaglobe.id/business/prabowo-cuts-free-meal-budget-by-377-billio