Minister of Finance Purbaya: Don't Protest MBG, It is a Pillar of Economic Growth in Indonesia

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa stated that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Program is one of President Prabowo Subianto's flagship programs which plays a role as a pillar of social and political stability.

Purbaya, in the Economic Outlook 2026 activity in Jakarta, said the Prabowo government formulated economic development in three main pillars in the Sumitronomics umbrella, namely high economic growth, equality, and social and political stability.

"People often protest MBG and other programs, it is one of the pillars of the President's development program, social-political equity and stability. If it doesn't exist, high economic growth cannot be created," said Purbaya as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, February 12.

Considering that MBG covers two of the three pillars of development, Purbaya assessed that this program is needed by the community.

"So, don't protest too much. This MBG is indeed a program that is needed by the community," he said.

The Minister of Finance reminded that the economic, social and political conditions in August 2025 were turbulent and triggered actions in various regions.

The former Chairman of the Deposit Insurance Corporation (LPS) considered that this experience was a lesson in economic stability and that equity needed to go hand in hand.

Therefore, since he took office as Minister of Finance in September 2025, he has tried to revive the engines of economic growth through coordination of fiscal, monetary and real sector policies.

He also tried to encourage ministries/institutions (K/L) to accelerate spending so that the impact could be felt immediately by the community.

Other strategies he is implementing also include placing government funds into the banking sector to increase liquidity and accelerate credit growth.

"The benefit is to add liquidity to the economic system, so that credit can grow faster. It also reverses the direction of the economy significantly and adds to the contribution of the growth engine and the private sector," he said.