Speaking in West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, on Friday, Prabowo specifically ordered officials to monitor all distribution kitchens supplying meals for the program.
“We are aware that some individuals are infiltrating the MBG program to steal from it,” Prabowo said. “Therefore, I ask governors, district chiefs, sub-district heads, and village chiefs to inspect every single MBG kitchen.”
The president also called on the military and police to assist in supervising the program’s rollout.
He requested that any irregularities or findings of corruption be reported directly to him or to the Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).
Furthermore, Prabowo warned officials that oversight should be carried out strictly to improve the program’s implementation, rather than as a pretext to solicit bribes or personal gain.
He noted that the public can now also help monitor government initiatives using smartphones and social media.
Prabowo stressed that authorities must ensure meal portion sizes strictly align with established standards.
“For instance, one chicken should be cut into eight or 10 pieces—12 at the very smallest,” he said. “Do not cut it into 18 or 22 pieces.”
The president emphasized that the MBG is a critical program aimed at securing the nutritional needs of children as the nation’s future generation.
Targeting 82.9 million beneficiaries nationwide, the MBG program was launched in early 2025 to provide free meals to toddlers, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and students up to the high school level.
By mid-2026, the government reported that the initiative had expanded to reach approximately 62 million people.
Translator: Fathur Rochman, Raka Adji
Editor: Aditya Eko Sigit Wicaksono
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
