MBG Budget Absorption Becomes The Focus Of Prabowo Government Towards The End Of The Year

Illustration of free nutritious food (ANTARA)

Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Purbaya Yudhi Sadive responded to the statement of the Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan or Zulhas regarding the transfer of the budget for the free nutritious food program (MBG) in 2025.

Zulhas emphasized that the budget could not be diverted, even though it had not been fully absorbed.

According to Purbaya, the government continues to encourage the MBG budget to be used optimally until the end of the year. However, if there is a remaining budget, these funds cannot be left unemployed because they still burden state finances.

"In fact, it's good if you can (get finished), but if you can't get rid of it, where will the money be? Just postpone it? I'll just pay interest, that's all," said Purbaya at the Ministry of Finance office, Jakarta, Tuesday, October 14.

He hopes that the entire MBG program budget can be fully absorbed so that the goals of the government's program in improving community nutrition can be achieved.

"So we encourage me not to take the budget because the budget runs out, that's good," he said.

Previously, Zulhas emphasized that the MBG budget could not be diverted because the program was President Prabowo Subianto's priority.

"The main program, Mr. President. It is impossible to divert it, God willing. It is a very important program and is the main program," said Zulhas in Semarang, Central Java, Monday, October 13.