INDOPOSCO.ID – Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency (BGN) has referred questions regarding the budgeting of the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program to the Ministry of Finance after the Constitutional Court (MK) ruled that education funds cannot be used to finance the program.
BGN Head Sudaryono said the agency is responsible for implementing the program rather than determining its budget allocation.
“Regarding the Constitutional Court’s ruling, I think that question would be better directed to the Minister of Finance. Our responsibility is to carry out our assigned duties, and our focus is on implementation,” Sudaryono told reporters in Jakarta on Friday (July 31, 2026).
He also said the agency would comply with all regulations and new government policies issued following the Constitutional Court’s decision on MBG funding.
“Of course, we will implement whatever decisions are made by the state and whatever policies are adopted by the government,” Sudaryono said.
“This will be followed by, or continued through, policies formulated by the government, whether by the Ministry of Finance, the Budget Agency, and other relevant institutions,” he added.
The Constitutional Court partially granted a judicial review of Law No. 17 of 2025 on the 2026 State Budget (APBN) concerning the allocation of funding for the Free Nutritious Meals program within the education operational budget.
The ruling was delivered by the Constitutional Court’s panel of justices during a verdict hearing at the Court’s headquarters in Central Jakarta on Thursday (July 30, 2026).
“The Court grants the petition in part,” Constitutional Court Chief Justice Suhartoyo said while reading the ruling during a live broadcast on the Court’s official YouTube channel on Thursday (July 30, 2026).
The Court ruled that the explanatory note to Article 22(3) of Law No. 17 of 2025 on the 2026 State Budget does not conflict with the 1945 Constitution and remains legally binding, provided that it is interpreted as applying only to the 2026 fiscal year.
Accordingly, beginning with subsequent state budgets, funding for the Free Nutritious Meals program that does not constitute a core component of education must be separated from the operational budget for the provision of education.
“The separation must be implemented no later than the 2028 State Budget, or within a maximum of two years from the date this ruling is pronounced,” Suhartoyo said. (dan)
