Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa credited the result to effective fiscal management, pointing to a 5.49 percent increase in government consumption and a 3.02 percent rise in investment, backed by national strategic projects and social initiatives like the free nutritious meal program and public housing programs. But some analysts say these state-led injections may be propping up growth tempor...

President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free nutritious meal program has hit a critical juncture. Launched with the ambition of feeding millions and cementing his populist image, the program is now marred by reports of food poisoning, poor governance and slow budget absorption. In response, Prabowo has formed a high-level coordinating team to rescue the initiative before it collapses under its o...