Will Study Prabowo-Gibran's Free Lunch Program, KPK: Big Budget

KPK interim Chairman Nawawi Pomolango/DOK PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is ready to conduct a study related to the free lunch program which is the seed of the Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka government. A fantastic budget is their reason to step in.

"We see that the program, especially since the budget is quite large and for the benefit of the community. Of course we will convey it as one of the things that can be studied," said KPK interim chairman Nawawi Pomolango to reporters at the ACLC KPK building, Rasuna Said, South Jakarta, Thursday, May 16.

Nawawi said that many government programs have been studied by his institution as a monitoring effort. Among them are social assistance (bansos) for poor people.

"We want to convey from the six main tasks of the KPK, one of which is monitoring in the state administration system. What is it? The KPK conducts studies on all government policies related to the community, such as social assistance, pre-employment cards," he said.

The study was then submitted to the government in the form of recommendations to prevent corruption. "The link is with free lunch when it's done, we have already discussed the program," said Nawawi.

"So maybe there is a time for us to talk about it," he continued.

Previously reported, the Ministry of National Development of the National Development Planning Agency (PPN/Bappenas) is preparing the integration of the draft work program during the program transition period carried by Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka. One of them is the free lunch which is the promise of the campaign for the selected pair for the 2024-2029 period.

"All these programs, including lunch, are included there, of course, according to the government's work plan mechanism based on law," explained Suharso at the 2024 National Development Planning Conference (Musrenbangnas) at the Jakarta Convention Center, Monday, May 6.

According to Suharso, the free lunch program has been included in his study. Among other things, taking into account the government's budget capacity in realizing the program.

Suharso conveyed that the first thing that was emphasized in the study was the target recipient of the lunch program and ensured that this program could be useful and on target. Then, what needs to be considered is the frequency of its implementation.

Then the nutritional standards for the implementation of the program are also a concern. One of them, how many calories must be available in free lunches to be distributed so that nutrition improvements can occur.

Meanwhile, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto did not want to talk much about the free lunch program, which is Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka's campaign promise. He said the discussion of the budget was more important first.

This was conveyed by Airlangga when asked about the ministry that would be in charge of the program.

"The important thing is to discuss in the APBN first," said Airlangga briefly to reporters in Jakarta, Saturday, May 11.