GNV News, 20 July 2026

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s signature “Free Meal Program” is being forced into a major downsizing. In addition to longstanding doubts about its effectiveness given its enormous cost, the government is now being pressed to cut spending due to soaring fuel prices triggered by the worsening situation in Iran. The arrest of the head of the responsible ministry on corruption charges has also prompted fears that the program itself may not survive.

The program’s goal is to prevent stunting caused by malnutrition by providing free meals to 83 million children and pregnant women across Indonesia. Launched in January 2025, it has opened about 28,000 meal centers over the past year and a half, with each center serving up to 3,000 meals a day.

However, the National Nutrition Agency (NNA) is considering reducing both the number of meal centers and recipients, and cutting the budget by more than US$2 billion. According to reports, the opening of 13,000 centers has been put on hold, and the number of beneficiaries will be reduced to 49 million—almost half of what was originally planned.

From the outset, the program has faced many criticisms over its high cost. One factor cited as driving up expenses is the decision to build new meal centers instead of using existing school facilities. The surge in global crude oil prices since March 2026, following U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran, has also increased pressure on the government to cut spending.

Making matters worse was the NNA’s corruption scandal. In June 2026, the agency’s head and two deputies were arrested on suspicion of procurement fraud totaling US$56 million. The investigation has extended to seven individuals, including serving police officers and military officers. The occurrence of food poisoning cases on a scale of several thousand has also contributed to the program’s tarnished image.

In light of these developments, some have argued that the program should be scrapped altogether. In June 2026, hundreds of people held a demonstration in the capital Jakarta, calling for the withdrawal of the program on the grounds that it could drive the country into “bankruptcy.”

Learn more about Indonesia’s school meal system → “Indonesia: Launch of Free School Meal Provision”

Learn more about Indonesian politics → “Challenges Remaining in Post-Democratization Indonesia”

Lunchtime at a school in Yogyakarta, Indonesia (Photo: Harini Calamur / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])