Speaking at the inauguration and groundbreaking of 1,179 police-run MBG kitchens and food security warehouses in Jakarta on Friday, he described the national priority program as a strategic means to boost human resource quality from an early age.
The president noted stunting as a complex issue that remains a persistent challenge for Indonesia, stressing that children suffering from chronic malnutrition often experience impeded physical development.
"It should be noted that stunting finds its root in poverty, which the Indonesian people are still struggling with. In fact, the prevalence among our children once reached 25 percent," Prabowo said, underscoring the urgency of executing MBG as a concrete measure.
He further described the food security initiative as a form of direct government intervention targeting vulnerable groups, including children, pregnant women, and elderly citizens facing economic hardship.
Such a policy has been implemented in dozens of countries, he added, highlighting India’s success in feeding its citizens for more than 10 years despite its per capita income being lower than Indonesia’s.
Prabowo also emphasized that the MBG program has served millions nationwide as a legal and legitimate initiative.
He then alluded to criticism portraying the program as inefficient and extravagant, burdening the state budget.
Defending MBG, he affirmed that it is sustained primarily by funds sourced from the government’s budget efficiency policy across institutions to meet the needs of low-income residents.
The head of state stressed that the program was made financially feasible after he instructed budget cuts and reallocations from less substantive activities, such as meetings, seminars, and official trips.
"MBG funds were sourced from budget efficiency, which the government sees as a strategy to safeguard the budget from corrupt practices," he stated.
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Translator: Maria/Andi, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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