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Free meals: Corruption lessons from Colombia

Will this bold initiative deliver on its promises, or will it collapse under inefficiency and corruption?

Dippya Kharisma Widiatmika (The Jakarta Post)
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Sat, January 18, 2025

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Free meals: Corruption lessons from Colombia Food party: Children hold balloons on Jan. 10, 2025 in Jakarta as their mothers help them eat preprepared lunches provided through the government’s free nutritious meal program. (Reuters/Ajeng Dinar Ulfiana)

I

ndonesia’s ambitious free nutritious meals program aims to tackle malnutrition and support 19.47 million children, pregnant women and vulnerable groups. Launched with much fanfare, the program, estimated to cost Rp 71 trillion (US$4.39 billion) in its first stage alone this year, promises nutritious meals for 15 million people across the nation.  

The free meal program will be a massive logistical undertaking when in full swing, with a target by 2029 of reaching 82.9 million of the country's 280 million population. President Prabowo Subianto's signature policy has been controversial, however, with previous estimates of its cost of $28 billion over five years triggering concern among some economists that it could dent Indonesia's hard-won reputation for fiscal prudence.

Indeed, as reports of inconsistent food portions and logistical challenges surface, critics have questioned louder and louder whether Indonesia is equipped to handle such a large-scale initiative.

In a survey conducted by think tank Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS) last month, 46 percent of respondents expressed concern about potential inefficiency in the distribution of meals. Some 37 percent of respondents were worried about the potential for corruption, 14 percent about the lack of nutritional value on the menu and 3 percent about the budget deficit.

Will this bold initiative deliver on its promises, or will it collapse under inefficiency and corruption?

The stakes are high, and so are the risks. The program has already highlighted Prabowo’s use of personal funds to address regional gaps. President spokesperson Hasan Nasbi reported that Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, received funding from the President’s own pocket.

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If not managed transparently and with strong planning, the program risks falling into the same pitfalls as Colombia’s school meal program, which started with similar aspirations but turned into a cautionary tale of corruption.

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