Jakarta – President Prabowo Subianto’s struggle to provide free nutritious meals for Indonesian children has apparently been initiated long before he won the 2024 presidential election.

This was revealed by Prabowo’s younger brother, Hashim Djojohadikusumo. He said Prabowo’s ideas, especially about the Free Nutritious Meal Programme (MBG), have been echoed since 2006.

‘The Free Nutritious Meal Programme, MBG, is Pak Prabowo’s promise. It was Mr Prabowo’s idea 18 years ago. It was an idea born in 2006,’ said Hashim.

Hashim stated this some time ago, to be precise at the commemoration of International Disability Day in South Jakarta, 7 January. A snippet of the statement circulated on social media and was quoted again on Sunday (2/2).

Prabowo’s commitment to building the aspirations of Indonesian children through adequate nutrition consumed by the next generation was also conveyed when campaigning in the 2014 elections.

‘I will run in 2014 to ask for a mandate from the people. I want to lead the change in Indonesia. We guarantee their children; they must have enough to eat, enough food, enough schooling,’ Prabowo said.

Through balanced nutritious food and proper education, Prabowo believes that Indonesia can become a country to be reckoned with in the future.

‘I believe we can do this. It’s amazing that we can be a great country. We will be a country that will be respected by other nations,’ Prabowo said.

‘And this is in front of our eyes, not something difficult. But this requires confidence,’ he continued.

Then after being inaugurated as the 8th President of Indonesia on 20 October 2024, Prabowo fulfilled the adequacy of national nutrition through MBG. Since it was launched simultaneously on 6 January 2025, the programme has reached 31 provinces in the country. (RR)