Purbaya Highlights MBG Bureaucracy and Budget Administration
The Free Nutritional Meals (MBG) program, one of President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship programs, has once again come under public scrutiny. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa revealed that of the total Rp 71 trillion budget allocated for 2025, only Rp 13.2 trillion has been disbursed.
According to Purbaya, the slow budget realization indicates problems with bureaucracy and administrative governance. He emphasized that he would tighten oversight to ensure the budget is properly disbursed as intended.
“Many have complained about the low absorption of the MBG. I checked, and they said the oversight was good, but it turned out to be far from expectations. Therefore, I will ensure that next month we hold a regular press conference with the Head of the National Agency for National Development Planning (BGN). If absorption is poor, he must explain it to the public, and I will assist him,” Purbaya said.
In addition to the MBG, Purbaya also promised to review other government programs with low budget absorption to expedite their implementation.
MBG Budget Realization
The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, stated that realization as of September 8, 2025, had reached IDR 13.2 trillion, or approximately 18.6% of the IDR 71 trillion budget ceiling. This figure exceeded the August 2025 absorption target of IDR 9.1 trillion.
To date, 22 million beneficiaries have been recorded, with 7,453 nutrition service kitchens (SPPG) in operation. This number has exceeded the initial target of 7,000 SPPGs.
Dadana emphasized that the number of kitchens significantly impacts budget absorption. Each operating SPPG absorbs an average of IDR 1 billion per month. With a target of 14,000 SPPGs by September 2025, BGN hopes to achieve budget absorption of IDR 19.6 trillion.
Furthermore, the National National Development Planning Agency (BGN) targets budget absorption by:
October 2025: IDR 37.8 trillion (21,000 SPPGs, 63 million beneficiaries).
November 2025: IDR 59.5 trillion (25,000 SPPGs, including 3T (outside the province) areas, 82.9 million beneficiaries).
December 2025: IDR 76.4 trillion with broader coverage.
Challenges on the Ground
Despite being a flagship program, the implementation of the MBG still faces various problems. Public criticism has arisen regarding:
The budget allocation, which is considered excessive for the education sector.
Allegations of budget inflation by several provider partners.
Mass food poisoning cases in several schools due to poor food quality, from Kupang to Cianjur.
President Prabowo Subianto himself acknowledged that many challenges remain, from kitchen construction and supply chain management to training management personnel.
“Many management issues remain, but we continue to improve. I commend the National Development Planning Agency (BGN) and all parties for their hard work,” said Prabowo.
The MBG program, which has consumed a substantial budget, is still struggling in terms of absorption and implementation. Although the short-term targets have been met, a number of technical and managerial issues remain a major challenge for the government. Transparency and strict oversight, as emphasized by Finance Minister Purbaya, are key to ensuring that tens of trillions of rupiah in funds actually reach the children of Indonesia.
