Ali Masykur Musa: Free Lunch Program Cannot Involve Conglomerates

JAKARTA - Deputy Chairperson of the Prabowo-Gibran National Campaign Team (TKN), Ali Masykur Musa, has been outspoken about the free Prabowo-Gibran lunch program, which is now being widely highlighted by the public by chatting with Eddy Wijaya on the EdShareOn podcast which airs Wednesday, March 20, 2024.

Ali emphasized that the free lunch program will not become a burden for the country, but instead a solution to prepare the younger generation in the future. "What's wrong with a president giving food to school children who will become candidates for leaders in this country? (Right) the goal is to make them healthy and ready to welcome Indonesia Gold 2045. And it starts with Pak Prabowo's leadership," said Ali.

This member of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) of the Republic of Indonesia for 2009-2014 ensures that the budget for the free lunch program will come from the APBN. However, he denied that the discourse of funds would be provided in 2029 as circulated in the community, the discussion had started this year, aka at the end of President Joko Widodo's period.

"That's because of the main assumption that Prabowo will become president (continue Jokowi's leadership). Second, this is a direct election in which the elected presidential candidate program will become a state program which will certainly be absorbed in the budget mechanism," he said.

Ali is also not worried about the large free lunch budget which is estimated to cost Rp. 400 trillion. According to the former chairman of the PKB version of Gus Dur, the state budget capacity is almost Rp. 3,000 trillion every year. This means that Rp. 400 trillion is still reasonable for the free lunch program.

However, Ali said the free lunch budget post was still simulated. So it is not certain that the funds will be taken from School Operational Assistance (BOS), whose discourse sparked the public spotlight. "What is certain is that this will be part of the education post and social assistance. Where will the source come from, this will be determined in the posture of the APBN later," said Ali.

Ali also revealed a free lunch program budget distribution scheme. According to him, this free lunch program is the main player who is a local entrepreneur in each region. For example, a cooperative at the village level that will prepare basic ingredients such as eggs, meat, and milk. The goal is that this program also accelerates the growth of the people's economy. "So big entrepreneurs, conglomerates, nine dragons, cannot take part in this matter," he said.

In chatting with Eddy Wijaya on the EdShareOn podcast, Deputy Chairperson of TKN Prabowo- Gibran, Ali Masykur Musa also mentioned the discourse on the right to question the alleged election fraud that will be proposed in the DPR RI. According to Ali, the right to inquiry is the constitutional right of the people's representatives. However, this right must consider aspects of substance and urgency.

"In terms of substance, it will be rejected automatically because the issue of the election has nothing to do with the president. From the urgency side, it also does not exist because efforts to impeach the president and the wrong address. There must be violations of the law and disgraceful acts," he said.

Ali is not sure that this right to inquiry can be realized. Moreover, he sees that there are many political parties trying to lobby to join the big Prabowo-Gibran coalition. "So I hope there is no need (there is a right to inquiry). What are the functions and uses?" he said after talking about the free lunch program. (ADV)