Prabowo Defends Free Nutritious Meal Program Against Wastefulness Critics

Prabowo Subianto Menjawab Kritik terhadap Badan Gizi Nasional

In his address, President Prabowo Subianto pushed back against mounting criticism of his administration’s MBG initiative, which is managed by the Badan Gizi Nasional (BGN). The program, designed to provide nutritional support to school-aged children, pregnant women, and the elderly, has become a lightning rod for debate regarding government spending, with the 2025 budget for the initiative reaching Rp339 trillion.

Defining National Priorities Through Nutrition

Kewajiban Negara Memberi Makan Rakyat dalam NKRI

Prabowo framed the MBG program not as an economic burden, but as a fundamental obligation of the state. Drawing on historical perspectives, he argued that a nation’s ability to feed its citizens is the primary metric of its civilization. “Setiap perekonomian itu pasti diukur dan kita punya ukuran, kita bertanya apakah bangsa itu bisa memberi pangan, memberi makan untuk rakyatnya, itu yang jadi ukuran, untuk apa kita punya NKRI kalau kita tidak bisa memberikan dasar dari sebuah peradaban, yang paling dasar adalah memberi makan, pangan,” the President stated. He emphasized that the survival of any society depends on its food security, warning that civilizations collapse when they fail to provide the most basic human needs.

The President highlighted that the program specifically targets the most vulnerable populations. He noted that at least one-quarter of Indonesian children suffer from stunting, and many students arrive at school having not eaten. For Prabowo, the criticism that the program represents fiscal irresponsibility is an inversion of reality. Saudara-saudara, saya diserang karena ingin memberi makan bergizi untuk anak-anak Indonesia. Memberi makan untuk anak-anak Indonesia, untuk ibu-ibu hamil, untuk orang-orang lansia, dianggap pemborosan, he asserted.

Contrasting MBG Costs with Historical Capital Flight

Sindiran Prabowo terhadap Hilangnya Kekayaan Indonesia Selama 34 Tahun

A central theme of the President’s remarks was the perceived hypocrisy of critics who focus on the costs of social welfare while remaining silent on the systemic loss of national wealth over decades. Prabowo cited thousands of trillions of rupiah as having evaporated from Indonesia over the last 34 years without triggering equivalent public outcry or investigative rigor from experts. Tapi ribuan triliun yang menguap yang pergi dari bumi Indonesia, tiap tahun selama 34 tahun tidak ada yang komentar, tidak ada pakar yang protes, tidak ada investigasi, said Prabowo.

Landasan Konstitusi 1945 dalam Menjaga Stabilitas Ekonomi

He dismissed warnings that the program would cause the economy to collapse, trigger a stock market crash, or weaken the national currency. Kita dituduh pemborosan, kita dibilang ekonomi mau kolaps, harga saham akan ambruk, mata uang akan melemah, alasannya karena boros, he noted. Regarding the concerns over economic stability, Prabowo expressed his conviction in the economic and political foundations established by the nation’s founders, stating that the 1945 Constitution was born from the struggle against imperialism, defined by the President as the extraction of a nation’s wealth by others.

Prabowo reaffirmed his commitment to the MBG program, emphasizing that the government aims to ensure price stability for food and affordable access to fertilizer for farmers, alongside the delivery of nutritious meals to schools. He maintained that these efforts are essential to the nation’s development and are not intended to be a source of fiscal waste.

Sources: Detik, tribunnews.com.