Indonesia will save an estimated $2.3 billion by reducing its free school meal programme from six to five days a week, a key austerity move amid Middle East war pressures.
JAKARTA: Indonesia expects to save up to 40 trillion rupiah (RM11.3 billion) by scaling back its national free meal programme, a senior official confirmed on Sunday.
The programme, primarily for schoolchildren, will now run for five days a week instead of six starting March 31, according to National Nutrition Agency deputy head Nanik Sudaryati Deyang.
She stated the measure is part of government efforts to cushion Southeast Asia’s largest economy from the fallout of the Middle East war, which has driven up global oil prices.
In a Sunday statement, the overseeing agency announced the adjustment aligns meal distribution with the standard five-day school week.
However, agency head Dadan Hindayana clarified that recipients in remote areas or regions with high stunting rates will continue to receive meals six days a week.
“The provision of the free nutritious meals on Saturdays for regions with a high risk of stunting is a strategic step to ensure that children receive adequate nutrition every day,” Dadan said.
He added that the nutrition agency will collaborate with local authorities to ensure the programme reaches its intended targets.
Presidential spokesperson Prasetyo Hadi had previously indicated the country was seeking to set aside 80 trillion rupiah to shield the economy from the Middle East fallout.
President Prabowo Subianto had earlier insisted the meal programme, originally budgeted at 335 trillion rupiah this year, would remain untouched.
He claimed there were many other cost-saving measures Jakarta could implement while weighing responses to price pressures.
Among other considered measures is a proposal to allow workers to work remotely one day a week to curb fuel consumption.
The free meal initiative has faced criticism following a spate of food poisoning cases since its launch last year, with critics calling for its suspension over hygiene concerns.
According to the agency, the programme has served 61 million people, with children, toddlers, and pregnant and breastfeeding women as the main recipients.
