JAKARTA - Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (Indef) Economist Esther Sri Astuti said that the budget for the Free Nutrition Food (MBG) program can be collaborated with funding from the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN) and donations from the private sector.
According to Esther, the economy is currently sluggish, so it is important to consider several alternative solutions, such as, nutritious food is not completely free, but some of the costs are given subsidies.
"Eating nutritious is not completely free. But some subsidies are given," he told VOI, Thursday, January 15.
In addition, Esther said that the free nutritious food program can be implemented with funding coming from the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN) which is supported by donations from donors or from industries that provide corporate social responsibility (CSR) funds.
"Eating is free of charge, but funding from the state budget is supported by private donors or CSR funds," he explained.
Previously, the Chairman of the DPD RI, Sultan Najamuddin, proposed that the public contribute to the free nutritious food budget (MBG). Because according to him, many Indonesians are generous so that the government is not interested in financing the program.
This was conveyed by the Sultan in response to the MBG program which was considered difficult to take place in the long term if he only relied on the APBN.
"I see this, indeed the country must be under Pak Prabowo, Mas Gibran really wants this free nutritious eating program to be maximized. It's just that we all know that our budget is not, of course, not all of them will be used to eat free nutrition," said Sultan at the Parliament Complex, Tuesday, January 14.
"I still see that there is DNA from our country, DNA from the Indonesian people is generous, mutual cooperation, so why don't we take advantage of this too?", he continued.
These donations, according to the Sultan, can be done through zakat. So he said, the government does not work alone to realize this program.
"For example, how do we stimulate the general public to be involved in this free nutritious eating program. Among other things, yesterday I also thought why not our extraordinary zakat, we also want to involve there, that's one example. So that the government does not work alone with the existing budget, "said Sultan.
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In fact, the Sultan admitted that he had conveyed his ideas to several ambassadors. He hopes that other countries will also support the free nutritious eating program in Indonesia.
"I have also conveyed with several ambassadors, I say please we have this country, our country has a mainstay program called a free nutritious meal. Please also if foreign countries also want to contribute. Well, yesterday we were also happy that Japan had started to join our support," he said.
"I want to say that this free nutritious eating program, even if this is a mainstay program from the executive or government, but we hope that the parliament will carry out all existing functions, ensuring that this program is actually running optimally. Not only from the existing APBN budget, because it must be very limited," concluded Sultan.
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