TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian government has ruled out calls to halt the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, with a senior official describing the initiative as part of President Prabowo Subianto's "political contract" with voters and a key mandate from the 2024 presidential election.
Muhammad Qodari, head of the Government Communication Bureau, said the program remains one of Prabowo's flagship policies and will continue despite growing criticism and demands from several groups for its suspension.
"The MBG program cannot simply be stopped because it is part of President Prabowo's vision and political contract," Qodari said in a written statement on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.
"President Prabowo was elected based on the programs he promised during the campaign, and those programs must be carried out."
Qodari argued that Prabowo's victory in the 2024 election gave him a democratic mandate to implement his campaign pledges, including the nationwide nutritious meal initiative.
"It would be a mistake to demand that President Prabowo abandon a program that was central to his campaign platform," he said.
While acknowledging that the program has faced various challenges since its rollout, Qodari said those issues should not be used as grounds to terminate the initiative.
Instead, he emphasized that the government remains open to public feedback and discussions aimed at improving the implementation of the program. He also reaffirmed the administration's commitment to strengthening governance and oversight mechanisms.
Calls for Suspension Grow
Demands to suspend the MBG program have intensified in recent weeks, including during the "Towards Bankrupt Indonesia" student demonstrations held last week.
Students from several universities in Jakarta called on the government to halt the program, arguing that it places a heavy burden on state finances. Protesters also urged the administration to curb what they described as wasteful public spending, lower fuel and food prices, and stop the development of the Red and White Village Cooperative program.
Additional demands included calls for the military to return to its barracks. Similar demonstrations were held in several cities, including Solo, Semarang, and Yogyakarta.
Women's Alliance Plans Protest
Opposition to the program is also expected to feature prominently in a protest organized by the Indonesian Women's Alliance on Thursday, June 18.
The alliance plans to bring three key demands to the demonstration, one of which is a temporary suspension of the Free Nutritious Meals program to allow for a comprehensive review of its governance and implementation.
Fanda Puspitasari, a representative of the alliance, said meaningful evaluation of the program should go beyond leadership changes within the National Nutrition Agency and include a full audit as well as broader institutional reforms.
"That is why we are calling for the program to be halted temporarily so a thorough evaluation can be conducted," said Fanda, an activist affiliated with the Sarinah Institute, in a WhatsApp message on Wednesday.
Andi Adam Faturahman contributed to the writing of this article.
Read: Why Women's Alliance Is Bringing Kitchen Utensils to Anti-MBG Protest
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