February 14, 2025 | 09:12 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program is a transformative initiative for his administration. He described the program as seemingly simple, yet a significant investment in the nation's future.
Prabowo conveyed this during a video conference appearance at the World Governments Summit 2025 on Thursday, February 13, 2025. "Our goal with this program is to reach more than 85 million children and pregnant women in Indonesia," he stated in an official statement released on Thursday, February 14, 2025.
The Head of State noted that the free nutritious meal program is currently implemented in 330,000 schools. He believes this program is a vital investment in Indonesia's future.
Prabowo underlined his commitment to building Indonesia into a modern and advanced country by focusing on the nation's vast potential. He acknowledged that Indonesia's cultural diversity and vast territory present both challenges and strengths in nation-building. Therefore, the government is committed to ensuring equal access to education, healthcare, and economic opportunities for all citizens.
"One of our key achievements in the first 100 days of my administration is the formation of a fully functional government based on talent and meritocracy. Many skilled Indonesians who have built their careers abroad are returning to serve our nation," he said.
Prabowo's administration also prioritizes infrastructure development to connect people across the nation. By opening the infrastructure sector to private investment, he hopes to further expand development, from roads and bridges to digital networks.
"We are building vital lifelines: roads, bridges, ports, airports, energy routes, digital networks that connect our people and stimulate local economies," he added.
In the era of digitalization, the President stressed the importance of digital connectivity for all Indonesian citizens. Therefore, the government has reallocated the 6 GHz Wi-Fi spectrum for public use, effectively doubling Indonesia's internet capacity.
"This ensures that every Indonesian, from remote islands to the heart of Jakarta, has an equal opportunity to participate in the digital economy, to learn, innovate, and achieve prosperity," he said.
Regarding financial efficiency, the President claimed that the government has saved more than US$20 billion, or about 10 percent of the annual budget. Furthermore, the government will launch Danantara Indonesia, a new national wealth fund with assets under management exceeding US$900 billion. This fund will be invested in sustainable projects across various sectors, including renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, and food production.
"All these projects will contribute to achieving our committed target of 8% economic growth," Prabowo said.
The World Governments Summit 2025, an annual meeting held in Dubai since 2013, promotes international innovative collaboration to advance sustainable global governance and economic development.
The summit includes several events, such as the Economic Forum, which took place from February 11-13, 2025, in Dubai. Indonesia was represented at this forum by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto.
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