Prabowo Synchronization Team Confirms Trial Of Free Nutrition Eating Program Not Funded By APBN

The Prabowo-Gibran Synchronization Task Force Team. (Photo: Aris Nurjani/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Prabowo-Gibran Synchronization Task Force Team for Communications Hasan Nasbi emphasized that funds for the trial of a moderate free nutritious eating program throughout Indonesia do not come from the government.

"Currently, the expert team is conducting a pilot project as well as a trial. So the research that we are currently doing from there, we will get whatever findings to be done, corrected, anticipated including the conclusion of how much it costs but this is still ongoing," he said at a press conference in Jakarta, quoted on Sunday, July 21.

Hasan emphasized that the trial was not funded by the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN).

"First, this research cannot yet use government instruments and there is no budget in the government," he said.

In addition, Hasan said that free nutritious food pilot projects have spread throughout Indonesia and one service unit can meet around 3,000 individuals.

"This is one service unit for 3000 students and only one province, right. So one service unit is 3,000 (students) now. There is more than that," he said.

Hasan added that the trial of the program had been carried out on elementary, junior high, high school and pregnant women. This was done to find out what to do, repair and anticipate when the Prabowo-Gibran flagship program was implemented.

According to Hasan, all the formulas that will be produced later at the end of the pilot project must meet two things, namely nutritional adequacy and benefit.

That way, his party has not determined the budget per portion for the program because the pilot project is currently being carried out.

"So there is no conclusion, including the price. All the formulas that will be produced later at the end of the Pilot Project must meet the two things that were nutritional adequacy and must be as many people as possible who receive benefits," he added.

Hasan said that currently his party has not determined the budget for a free nutritious food program.

Thus, the news circulating states that the budget for the implementation of free nutritious food is cut to IDR 7,500 per serving is not true.

It is known, the issue of cutting the free nutritious food budget to Rp7,500 was conveyed by economist Verdhana Sekuritas Heriyanto Irawan and claimed to have been invited to discuss with Prabowo's team about eating free nutritious food.

"So there is no number, there is no number at all. That's why we are confused outside of numbers, while we don't have numbers yet," said Hasan.

Hasan said that the price per portion of free nutritious food will depend on the types of menus and raw materials available in their respective regions.

"Regarding the exact price, it will depend on the types of menus and raw materials, food ingredients available in various regions, so the menu will not be the same in various regions," he said.

Hasan assessed that the free nutritious dining menu would not be the same in every region and the free nutritious food menu would still meet nutritional adequacy standards.

"It depends on the availability of food there or with the food available, what kind of nutritional needs we can mix per month. So that's roughly the way and the process we're working on," he said.

For information, the Government has prepared a budget of IDR 71 trillion for the Free Nutrition Food program in the 2025 State Revenue and Expenditure Budget Draft (RAPBN).

The Free Nutrition Food (MBG) is a mainstay program for the Government of the President and Vice President Elected Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka.