Kitchen workers challenge wage and staffing cuts as government targets major program savings.
Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program is facing protests from kitchen workers and concerns from operators as new cost-cutting measures affect staffing decisions, wages, and operating budgets in several regions.
Workers Protest Wage and Staffing Cuts
Workers at kitchens participating in Indonesia’s free-meal program have protested cost-cutting measures in several regions, with reported layoffs and staffing disputes in West Java, South Sulawesi, and East Java. In Sukabumi, 47 workers at the Tegallega Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) reportedly went on strike over proposed staffing reductions and a standardized daily wage of Rp100,000 (approximately S$8). Workers said they had previously earned between Rp120,000 and Rp150,000 per day (approximately S$9.60 to S$12).
Protests Spread Across Other Regions
Hundreds of SPPG workers in Polewali Mandar, West Sulawesi, reportedly protested the changes, expressing concern that individual kitchens could lose an average of 16 workers and that daily wages could fall from Rp135,000 (approximately S$10.80) to below Rp100,000. In the Selayar Islands, South Sulawesi, 14 workers reported being dismissed on November 4. A video subsequently circulated showing workers removing cooking equipment from a local kitchen.
Operators Say New Costs Are Difficult to Manage
Kitchen operators have also called for the policy to be reviewed. Sugeng Hariyono, who represents SPPG operators in Ponorogo, East Java, said the rapid implementation of the changes had made it difficult for kitchens to maintain existing staffing levels. Some operators had previously covered funding gaps personally or redirected money allocated for kitchen rentals to help pay workers, but said they could no longer sustain those arrangements.
BGN Targets Rp44 Trillion in Savings
The National Nutrition Agency (BGN) said its cost-efficiency measures amounted to approximately Rp44 trillion (S$3.52 billion), largely reflecting a reduction in planned spending from its original Rp268 trillion allocation. The agency has capped kitchen operating expenses at Rp3,000 per beneficiary and replaced a fixed Rp6 million daily incentive for kitchen partners with a facility incentive of Rp2,000 per beneficiary served. Distribution vehicles are also excluded from eligible operating expenses. Under the reported staffing guidelines, individual kitchens may employ up to 47 workers, depending on production capacity.
BGN Says Layoffs Were Not Ordered
BGN spokesperson Tysa Novenny said the agency had not ordered kitchen operators to reduce staffing or dismiss workers, suggesting that operators could consider rotating shifts instead. The Free Nutritious Meals program, launched in January 2025 as a flagship initiative of President Prabowo Subianto, had reached approximately 58.7 million beneficiaries by October 2026. The government aims to expand coverage to 72.4 million beneficiaries in 2027.
The backlash highlights the challenge of reducing costs in a program that relies on thousands of local kitchens and workers while continuing to expand nationwide. For Indonesians, the debate centers on whether efficiency measures can protect both meal delivery and the livelihoods created around the program. For Singaporeans and regional observers, the dispute offers a closer view of the financial and operational pressures surrounding one of Indonesia’s largest social programs.
Sources: Asia News Network (2026) , The Jakarta Post (2026)
Keywords: Indonesia Free Meal Program, BGN Cost Cuts, SPPG Workers, Free Nutritious Meals, Kitchen Worker Protest, Government Budget
