Free Nutrition Eating Program, Hashim: Prabowo's Idea 18 Years Ago

Illustration of free nutritious food (ANTARA)

JAKARTA The Free Nutrition Food Program (MBG), which is now run by the government of President Prabowo Subianto, has been planned since 18 years ago.

Deputy Chairman of the Gerindra Party Board of Trustees, Hashim Djojohadikusumo, said that this idea did not appear suddenly, but had been formulated since 2006 with the initial name "White Revolution."

"The MBG program is Pak Prabowo's promise. This is an idea he thought about 18 years ago," said Hashim in his statement, Tuesday, January 7.

Hashim explained that in May 2006, Prabowo summoned a number of Gerindra cadres, including Secretary General Ahmad Muzani, to discuss strategies against stunting in Indonesia. At that time, this concept was called the White Revolution before developing into the Free Nutrition Eating Program.

"In May 2006, Pak Prabowo introduced the idea of fighting stunting. At that time, it was called the White Revolution. Now, the program is realized under the name Free Nutrition Eating," he said.

Hashim expressed his gratitude because the idea that Prabowo had been designed for a long time could now be realized after winning the 2024 presidential election. This program is one of the clear evidences of campaign promises aimed at improving the welfare of the Indonesian people.

"Alhamdulillah, thank God, we were given the opportunity to improve the welfare of the people and the fate of the nation," said Hashim.

The Free Nutrition Food Program in the early stages targets 3 million beneficiaries, which includes school children, toddlers, and pregnant women. To support the implementation of this program, the government has built 190 kitchens for nutritious food providers in 26 provinces. Each kitchen has a production capacity of up to 3,500 food packages per day.

A budget of IDR 71 trillion has been allocated to ensure the sustainability of the program until 2025. With strong support, this program is expected to be a significant step in overcoming stunting and improving the quality of life of the Indonesian people.