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View all search resultsPrabowo claims 8% growth is possible through free meals program
The president pledged to strengthen oversight, introduce stricter sanitation procedures and invest in new kitchen equipment and water filters amid reports of food poisoning in the free meals program.
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President Prabowo Subianto is seen talking to Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media Steve Forbes on Oct. 15 at the Forbes Global CEO Conference 2025 which took place at The St. Regis Hotel in Jakarta. Photo: BPMI Setpres/Kris (BPMI Setpres/BPMI Setpres)
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resident Prabowo Subianto claimed that his target of 8 percent economic growth is achievable, driven by his flagship free nutritious meal and Red and White Rural Cooperatives (KDMP) programs.
He remains optimistic despite Statistics Indonesia (BPS) revealing that the country’s gross domestic product grew only 5.12 percent in the second quarter of this year, while the International Monetary Fund projects growth of 4.9 percent by year-end.
The president said the free meals program, which now operates nearly 11,900 kitchens feeding 35.4 million people daily, has generated strong economic spillovers by connecting local farmers, fishers and food vendors to government procurement chains.
“We [can] create 1.5 million jobs [with the program], that’s 3 percent [additional economic growth], and that’s not even with the 81,000 cooperatives,” he said at the 2025 Forbes CEO Conference on Wednesday.
Prabowo remains bullish on the program despite a series of food poisoning incidents that have marred its rollout in recent months. As of Sept. 30, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) recorded that 6,457 students nationwide fell ill after consuming meals distributed through the initiative since its January launch.
The BGN, which runs the program, said it had suspended operations at “problematic” kitchens and launched investigations, but stopped short of halting the initiative.
The effort, however, has done little to stem new cases. Just this week, at least 345 students from elementary to senior high schools in Cisarua, West Java, reportedly got food poisoning after eating meals provided under the scheme.
