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View all search resultsCourt decision tightens House oversight on free meals funding
‘Any policy resulting in a fundamental change to the amount of central government expenditure by function must obtain House’s approval,’ according to Constitutional Court justices.
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Students carry meal packages disbursed through the free nutritious meal program on Sept. 4 at SDN Jati Asih X state elementary school in Bekasi, West Java. (Antara/Darryl Ramadhan)
A
new Constitutional Court ruling requires the government to consult with the House of Representatives before allocating funds for the free nutritious meal program, a move experts and petitioners cautiously welcome as a boost to legislative oversight for the rollout.
By a vote of 8-1, the court ruled in favor of individuals and non-governmental organizations grouped under the MBG Watch Coalition, holding that any changes in state budget allocations must undergo proper review by the legislature.
In their judicial review petition against the 2026 State Budget Law, the plaintiffs argued the government held unlimited discretion to arrange fiscal priorities for its programs, such as President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship free meals initiative, a move that would potentially misallocate public funds.
“Any policy resulting in a fundamental change to the amount of central government expenditure by function must obtain House’s approval,” Justice Arsul Sani said reading out the ruling in a hearing on Wednesday.
The ruling applies to the 2027 state budget and beyond.
Justice Daniel Yusmic Foekh provided the only dissenting opinion. He argued the petition should be dismissed because the state budget, which is enacted as a law, differs from other legislations in that it is initiated only by the president and applies for only a year.
Read also: Mass food poisoning strikes again as opposition to free meals program grows
