BGN: Court Ruling Does Not Cancel Free Meals Program

August 4, 2026 | 10:40 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Sudaryono, believes that the Constitutional Court's ruling Number 40/PUU-XXIV/2026 was never intended to halt the implementation of the Free Nutritional Meals (MBG) program. He stated that based on BGN's internal legal review of the Constitutional Court's decision, no provisions exist that cancel or suspend the execution of the MBG program.

"We are an operational institution. Of course, we will implement any government policy. What needs to be underlined is that the Constitutional Court's ruling confirms that MBG is a constitutional program," Sudaryono said on Monday, August 3, 2026.

The former Deputy Minister of Agriculture explained that the substance of the Constitutional Court's ruling only restricts the MBG budgeting mechanism, specifically regarding how the program's funds are factored into mandatory education spending requirements. The government, he said, was also given a transition period of up to two years to adjust its budgeting policies.

According to Sudaryono, Constitutional Court Decision No. 40/PUU-XXIV/2026 is a conditionally constitutional status. Therefore, only the budgeting norms—and not the legal basis or the existence of the MBG program—have been adjusted.

Starting with the 2028 State Budget, MBG allocations that fall outside core education components will no longer be drawn from the operational budget for education administration. Sudaryono assured that this shift will not jeopardize or impact the program's long-term continuity.

"If we examine it more closely, this Constitutional Court decision confirms that the MBG program is constitutional. What is of concern is the allocation of the budget, and the government will certainly address this in accordance with applicable mechanisms," the Gerindra Party politician stated.

He added that the Constitutional Court's determination does not alter the standing or statutory authority of the National Nutrition Agency as the sole organizer of the MBG program. BGN continues to fulfill its operational mandate to ensure the initiative remains effective, fully accountable, and beneficial to the broader public.

Previously, the Constitutional Court issued Decision No. 40/PUU-XXIV/2026, ruling that MBG funding not directly tied to core educational functions can no longer be classified under the national education budget allocation. The bench provided the government with a two-year grace period to complete the necessary regulatory adjustments.

Read: Terror Against Critics of the Free Nutritious Meal Program

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