Tangerang. Vice President-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka has announced plans to extend the free lunch trials to Indonesia's most remote regions. Initially tested in Sentul, West Java, the program will now include remote areas such as East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and Papua.

"Following the trial run in Sentul, we will test the program in other cities. Teams are being sent to the remote areas of NTT and Papua to implement free lunches in several secluded locations," Gibran said at the B-Universe office in PIK 2, Tangerang, on Wednesday.

The free lunch trials are scheduled to continue until October 2024, before Gibran and President-elect Prabowo Subianto are officially inaugurated. Prabowo is set to become Indonesia’s oldest president, while Gibran will be the youngest vice president in the country’s history.

“The free lunch program will involve partnerships with SMEs, central kitchens, and community cooperation with parents,” Gibran added.

Earlier, Gibran tested the Nutritious Free Lunch Program at SDN Sentul 03 and 02 elementary schools in Bogor, West Java. He clarified that the meal, priced at Rp14,900, includes chicken, rice, vegetables, fruit, and milk, and dismissed concerns that the budget would be reduced to Rp7,500.

Economist Heriyanto Irawan from Verdhana Sekuritas had previously suggested at the Mandiri Market Outlook 2024 event that Prabowo’s economic team might lower the free lunch budget to Rp7,500 to Rp9,000 per portion, down from the promised Rp15,000 during the campaign.

The government plans to allocate Rp71 trillion in the 2025 Draft State Budget (RAPBN) for President-elect Prabowo Subianto’s free meal program for students. The initiative aims to gradually provide meals to approximately 82.9 million students by 2029, with a projected total budget of Rp400 trillion.

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