Purbaya Says the Separation of the MBG Budget from Education is Waiting for the 2028 State Budget

Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa. (Photo: ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa emphasized that the government would comply with the decision of the Constitutional Court (MK) regarding the separation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program budget from education funds in the State Budget (APBN).

According to Purbaya, the ruling only took effect in 2028 so that its implementation will be carried out according to the schedule set by the Constitutional Court.

"(The Supreme Court's decision on the separation of the MBG and education budgets) We will follow the Supreme Court's decision. In 2028, right?" he told the media at the State Palace Complex, Friday, July 31.

He explained that the current APBN being drafted will not undergo changes because the discussion process is almost complete, so the government chose to continue to prepare the budget according to plan and implement the Constitutional Court's decision on the 2028 APBN.

"If this has been discussed. Later we will be tired of working again. So if 2028 is 2028 because maybe the Constitutional Court also calculates that this has been discussed, it just needs to be finalized. If everything changes later, it won't be too late," he said.

Purbaya said the mechanism for separating the MBG budget from the education budget would still be further studied so that its implementation would be in accordance with the MK's ruling.

"We will follow up, we will see. Maybe if we follow up in 2028, it's for the 2028 budget," he said.

Regarding the impact of the policy on the country's fiscal condition, Purbaya admitted that the government would still make further calculations.

"Later we will calculate (the impact)," he said.

He also revealed that until now he had not discussed the Constitutional Court's decision with President Prabowo Subianto, nor had a special agenda to discuss it.

Previously, the Constitutional Court granted a partial request for a material test against Law Number 17 of 2025 concerning the 2026 Fiscal Year State Budget.

In its ruling, the Constitutional Court stated that the operational budget of the Free Nutritional Meal Program, which is not a major component of education, must be separated from the education budget no later than starting the 2028 State Budget or two years after the ruling was read.

The Constitutional Court also stated that the explanation of Article 22 paragraph (3) of the 2026 State Budget Law does not have binding legal force as long as it is not understood that the provision only applies to the 2026 State Budget.

For the state budget in subsequent years, the MBG budget must be allocated separately from the operational budget for the provision of education.

In its consideration, the Constitutional Court assessed that the budget for the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal Program should be prepared as a separate budget item in the State Budget, so that it does not become part of the education budget allocation.