Prabowo Lowers Free Meal Budget to Rp10,000, Jakarta Potentially Spends from APBD

The Air Force Base (Lanud) Raja Haji Fisabilillah (RHF) Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (Kepri) held a free nutritious lunch trial at kindergarten schools, Thursday (28/11/2024). BETWEEN ANTARA/HO-Dispen RHF Air Base

Deputy Chairman of the DKI Jakarta DPRD, Basri Baco, said that Jakarta has the potential to increase the budget from the APBD to cover the lack of free nutritious food (MBG) costs.

Because, now the nominal free meal budget has been reduced to IDR 10,000 by President Prabowo Subianto.

Meanwhile, during the trial period of the MBG program, the DKI Provincial Government often spent Rp. 15 thousand to Rp. 25 thousand to distribute the food to schools.

"We are thinking about it. If it feels like it's not enough, after we try it and so on, maybe we will add it through the APBD. So it's Rp. 15 thousand per portion, the addition is Rp. 5 thousand. Our calculation is Rp. 15 thousand enough," Baco told reporters, Tuesday, December 3.

Baco admitted that his party would encourage the DKI Provincial Government to again tamper with the budget for Prabowo's flagship program in his government to run from January 2025.

"The DPRD is the people's representative. If necessary, we will cut other (budget allocations) into pieces for the (MBG program)," said Baco.

Furthermore, Baco views that there is still a chance that MBG financing in Jakarta can be reduced to IDR 10,000. With a note, there is a long-term contract with food providers to farmers. However, Baco doubts that the food provided meets the established nutritional standards.

"Depending on the nutritious lunch, how much is the portion, how many items are there. If you enter 4 healthy and 5 perfectly there is milk, yes maybe it tastes (cost Rp10 thousand) less," he explained.

Previously, President Prabowo Subianto set a budget for free nutritious food (MBG) of IDR 10,000 per serving.

"Later on average, the minimum or on average, we want to give an index per child per pregnant woman of approximately Rp. 10,000," Prabowo said when announcing the increase in the Provincial Minimum Wage (UMP) through the Youtube channel, quoted on Saturday, November 30.

Prabowo said that in fact he wanted to budget for the program of Rp. 15,000 per portion, but the government considered Rp. 10,000 per portion quite nutritious.

"We want Rp. 15,000 but the budget condition may be Rp. 10,000 for sufficient areas. It is quite quality and nutritious," continued Prabowo.

Head of the Presidential Communication Office, Hasan Nasbi, revealed that the trial of a free nutritious eating program (MBG) with a budget of IDR 10,000 per serving has been implemented for almost a year in several regions. This program aims to meet the basic nutritional needs of the community, especially for children and pregnant women.

"There has been a trial for almost a year. On the island of Java, for an adequacy of 600-700 calories per serving, it could be at a maximum price of Rp. 10,000," Hasan explained in a written message received in Jakarta.

According to him, with a maximum budget of IDR 10,000, this free nutritious food program can cover 600 to 700 calories per serving. The trial of this program has been carried out in several areas, including West Java, Central Java, and DKI Jakarta.