RI President orders prioritizing those in need for free meal program

Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has ordered a review of beneficiaries under Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, prioritizing low-income communities and areas with high stunting rates to improve targeting and efficiency.

Deputy Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Agustina Arumsari said the president instructed the government to evaluate all feedback on the program before making a final decision.

"He listened to all proposals presented during today's meeting," Arumsari told reporters after a meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.

She said President Prabowo directed the government to prioritize recipients who genuinely need free meals.

"For efficiency, those who do not truly need the MBG program may be removed from the beneficiary list," she said.

Arumsari said the directive would guide the agency in improving implementation of the nationwide nutrition program.

She added that President Prabowo had instructed all ministries to support the National Nutrition Agency in implementing the initiative.

The agency will first update and verify beneficiary data to ensure government decisions are based on accurate information, she said.

Launched in early 2025, the MBG program targets 82.9 million beneficiaries, including children under five, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and schoolchildren.

The government resumed the program on Monday after suspending it during the school holiday to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of its implementation.

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Translator: Aditya R, Maria C, Raka Adji

Editor: Rahmad Nasution

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