Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto on Friday defended the military and police’s involvement in Indonesia’s drive for food self-sufficiency, saying their participation was essential to safeguard public welfare despite criticism at home and abroad.
Speaking at the inauguration of more than 1,700 nutrition service units and police food security buildings in Jakarta, Prabowo said the armed forces and police were “people’s institutions” responsible for protecting citizens, including from hunger.
He dismissed foreign media criticism that deploying security forces to boost food production contradicted free-market principles, saying Indonesia’s priority was ensuring food availability and national resilience rather than adhering to economic dogma.
“If the people suffer from food shortages, the soldiers and police suffer too,” Prabowo said, adding that members of both institutions come from ordinary Indonesian families and share the hardships faced by the public.
Prabowo praised the National Police for building 18 food security warehouses and establishing 1,179 nutrition service units, known as SPPG, to manage free nutritious meal kitchens across the country.
He said the police leadership had grasped that ensuring food security was integral to national safety, extending beyond maintaining public order and physical security.
“For any parent, the foremost concern is the safety and welfare of their children, and the first security is freedom from hunger,” he said.
At a separate Indonesia Economic Outlook 2026 event in Jakarta, Prabowo highlighted the economic impact of the free nutritious meal program, known as MBG.
He said the program currently employs more than 1 million people and is projected to create up to 1.5 million daily jobs once fully operational.
The MBG program is supported by more than 23,000 SPPG kitchens nationwide and aims eventually to reach over 82 million beneficiaries with more than 30,000 kitchens.
Each kitchen employs around 50 workers and generates demand for five to 10 food suppliers, boosting local economies, he said.
Prabowo said police-run SPPG facilities inaugurated on Friday were equipped with domestically produced technology to ensure water hygiene, food safety and waste management standards.
