Prabowo Proud of MBG Recipients Reaching 55 Million in One Year

President Prabowo Subianto gives directions while attending the 2025 National Christmas celebration at the Senayan Indoor Tennis, Jakarta, Monday (5/1/2026)/ANTARA FOTO/Hafidz Mubarak A/tom.

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto stated that the beneficiaries of the Free Nutritious Meal or MBG program had reached 55 million people as of January 5, 2026 or one year since the priority program was first launched on January 6, 2025.

In front of Christian congregations during the 2025 National Christmas Celebration in Jakarta, President Prabowo stated that this achievement was an achievement, considering that Brazil took up to 11 years to be able to provide free lunch (PNAE) to 40 million schoolchildren.

"Today there are 55 million beneficiaries (in) Indonesia, which means it is the same as feeding eight times (people, red) Singapore. Every day, we feed 55 million (people, red) brothers. The President of Brazil conveyed to me, they reached 40 million (recipients) in 11 years. We, 55 million in one year, because we started on January 6, 2025. Today is January 5, 2026," said President Prabowo in his speech as quoted by ANTARA, Monday, January 5.

The President again told the appreciation given by various parties to the MBG Indonesia program, including from the renowned research institution from the US, the Rockefeller Institute.

Experts from the Rockefeller Institute, the President continued, deliberately came to Indonesia to see firsthand the implementation of MBG in schools.

"The Rockefeller Institute came to Indonesia to see that we had a project (MBG, ed.) and conveyed it to me at Merdeka Palace. The expert from the Rockefeller Institute, he said: This is your best investment," said President Prabowo.

The expert from the Rockefeller Institute then conveyed to the President that the money invested in the MBG program could generate a multiplier effect of up to 5-35 times.

"These are the ones who talk. I don't pursue it. I am only driven by - it is not up to me to see Indonesian children who are malnourished. For those who are rich, for those who are established, yes it is not important, but for children in many areas, eating nutritious food for free is very, very important," said the President.

Prabowo, in the same speech, also recounted his thoughts about MBG having emerged for quite some time, namely when the President toured Indonesia's regions, when he first entered the presidential election exchange several decades ago.

"I came to the villages, everywhere I saw small children. I asked: How old are you? (The little boy answered, red.) 9, 10, 11, but his body is the same as a 4-year-old child. Small, he is naturally malnourished, everywhere. And I learned, I traveled the world, I learned. I saw how India helps its poor people with free nutritious food," said the President.

Prabowo then conveyed the amount of budget allocated by India for free nutritious meals also ranked in the top three, after the defense sector which ranked first.

"Number two or number three is nutritious eating. Brazil also implemented nutritious eating 12-13 years ago. Now, there are 76 countries implementing nutritious eating," said President Prabowo.