It was conveyed during a limited cabinet meeting at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday.
"We also proposed to the President to provide free nutritious meals, specifically for the elderly and persons with disabilities. We will review it further and report back to the President," he said after attending the meeting on Tuesday evening.
The minister explained that if the proposal was approved, the elderly and people with disabilities beneficiaries registered under the MBG program will continue to receive existing government social assistance.
"They will not be excluded. Social assistance is part of social protection and security, intended for those in need to meet their basic necessities, including health coverage," he added.
The MBG program is one of President Prabowo's priority initiatives, first launched simultaneously across Indonesia on January 6, 2025, and has a target of reaching 82.9 million beneficiaries across 38 provinces by the end of 2025.
Currently, the MBG program has been distributed to schoolchildren, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, as well as toddlers, and aims to help maintain proper nutrition from pregnancy through early childhood development.
At the end of October 2025, around 40 million people across 38 provinces and 509 regencies/cities have benefited from that program.
On Tuesday, the President also summoned several ministers to discuss community empowerment programs, MSME development, and coordination among various government empowerment initiatives.
The meeting was attended by Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Pratikno, Minister of Investment and Downstreaming and CEO of Danantara Rosan Perkasa Roeslani, Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology Brian Yuliarto, Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Abdul Mu'ti, Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) Minister Maman Abdurrahman, and Agriculture Minister Andi Amran Sulaiman.
The forum was also attended by Cooperative Minister Ferry Juliantono, Minister of Villages and Underdeveloped Regions Yandri Susanto, Minister for the Protection of Indonesian Migrant Workers Mukhtarudin, Head of the Poverty Alleviation Acceleration Agency (BP Taskin) Budiman Sudjatmiko, Presidential Chief of Staff Muhammad Qodari, Head of Government Communication Agency Angga Raka Prabowo, State Secretary Minister Prasetyo Hadi, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya.
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Translator: Genta T./Andi Firdaus, Asri Mayang Sari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
Copyright © ANTARA 2025
