TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A group calling themselves the Jakarta Community Alliance held a demonstration to support free nutritious meal (MBG) program in the southern area of the National Monument, Jakarta, Indonesia, on Monday, June 22, 2026. Several protesters shared how they were invited to join the demonstration.
Bunga, a woman from Cempaka Putih, Central Jakarta, said she was invited to the demonstration by a friend. She received information about the MBG support rally the night before the demonstration. "My friend invited me last night," she said at the location.
She mentioned having a child who currently receives MBG at school. Bunga admitted that this was the reason for her to support President Prabowo Subianto's flagship program by joining the demonstration.
Bunga went to the rally point by motorbike from her house. However, while demonstrating, Bunga recounted that the protesters were divided into groups, each with a coordinator. She did not know the leader of this team.
Bunga then got acquainted with fellow demonstrators who were grouped with her. One of them was Yaya, a twelfth-grade student from North Jakarta, who also participated in the demonstration, accompanied by a friend. Yaya said she and Bunga did not know each other until they were in the same group supporting MBG.
The pro-MBG action in the southern area of Monas took place since Monday afternoon. The demonstrators appeared in white attire. They dispersed in the evening.
After the demonstration, not all the participants left the location. Some of them were seen sitting in groups on the edge of Jalan Medan Merdeka Selatan, which was the demonstration point. There were several gatherings of people in white attire who were still gathered after the rally.
Margi, one of the demonstrators sitting there, said they were waiting for the distribution of money. "I received Rp50,000," said this man from North Jakarta.
He mentioned that it was his first time participating in a demonstration. Margi was invited to support the MBG rally by someone he had never met before.
Margi met this person while going to church on Sunday afternoon, one day before the rally. The person, whom he referred to as F, had never been seen at the church before. "There was a new person who came and asked to know me. They invited me to the demonstration," he said.
Margi said that this person promised him Rp80,000 if he attended the rally in Monas. However, he could not contact the person when Margi and 20 people from his church arrived at the location.
Finally, Margi looked for another group coordinator and received Rp50,000. He said the money was given in cash without an envelope.
The amount of money received by the rally participants was not the same. Another demonstrator, a woman from South Jakarta who did not want to be named, said she received Rp60,000. She mentioned that she was initially promised Rp100,000. "The distribution of the money was unfair. It's a bait-and-switch," said this middle-aged woman who came to the rally alone.
Not all demonstrators claimed to receive pocket money when they came to support the MBG rally. Andir, a man from Kebon Jeruk, West Jakarta, said he received information about the rally the night before through a messaging application.
He decided to come with his wife and seven-year-old child. "It's just for the experience," said Andir.
He said there was no pocket money to come there. "None, just tagging along. The neighbors just informed us about the MBG demo at Monas. Whether we wanted to join or not, we did. Transportation was also self-funded," said the 45-year-old father.
MBG kitchen workers or the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) also joined this demonstration. One group of protesters came from SPPG Jatinegara 02, located in East Jakarta. Mai Aldi, the field assistant of the kitchen, said there were 47 people working in their SPPG. "Thank God they all came (to the demonstration)," said Aldi at the rally location.
He said they came on their own initiative. The employees also pooled funds to pay for meals, make posters, and other needs for the rally. "Coincidentally, we had an initiative to collect volunteer funds, asking each person for Rp20,000," he said.
He mentioned that there were no instructions from the foundation that owns the kitchen or the program manager for the SPPG employees to join the MBG support rally. The SPPG employees, he said, started to worry that the program would be discontinued following the alleged corruption case in the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), the executor of MBG. "This is purely an initiative," said Aldi.
The coordinator of the Jakarta Community Alliance, Edy Marzuki, said the citizens came to the demonstration on their own initiative. He denied the presence of paid demonstrators in the MBG support action. "I state that it's a lie. If there are, bring them forward to me. Who are they? It's just a few people who want to taint this action," he said at the rally location.
Read: KPK Continues Probe Into Alleged Corruption in MBG Program
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