Asked About Free Lunch, Here's Sri Mulyani's Answer

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati emphasized that the free lunch program from presidential and vice presidential candidates Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka had not been discussed in the 2025 Macroeconomic Framework and Fiscal Policy Principles (KEM-PPK).

"When we talked about KEM-PPKF, we just talked about big posture. But if someone says oh, we talked about free lunch, as far as I know, sir. Because our KEM-PPKF has not talked about it," explained Sri Mulyani during a Joint Meeting of Commission XI DPR RI, Tuesday 19 March.

Therefore, Sri Mulyani said that she could not comment much on the free lunch program when asked by the DPR RI.

"Regarding free lunch, we don't answer because in our APBN we don't exist in 2024, right? If this is for the new government, ladies and gentlemen, you also understand the cycle of our APBN to the mother of the KEMPPKF, there is already a large posture, not yet detailed, let alone want to take the BOS. Yes, ma'am, not yet," he explained.

According to Sri Mulyani, the government has not discussed spending on Ministries/Institutions because the KEM-PPKF has only discussed its large posture.

"Boro-boro talks about K/l spending, just posture is still in the form of range. It's still a very early discussion," he explained.

Sri Mulyani explained who the elected President was appointed by the General Election Commission (KPU) and was waiting for the new government transition team.

"We are still waiting for the KPU to tell us who the new government will be," he explained.

Previously reported, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto ensured that the free lunch and milk program had been included in discussions regarding Macroeconomic Policy and the 2025 Fiscal Policy Principles (KEM-PPKF), which was the first step in designing the 2025 State Budget.

"Entering (KEM-PPKF 2025)," said Airlangga to the media crew, at the Office of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs on Friday, February 23, 2023.