Golkar’s Takeover and the Waning of Joko Widodo’s Power (Copy)

Picture: Reuters

In an article by The Straits Times, lldo Fellix Januardy and Edbert Gani Suryahudaya analyze Prabowo’s free meal plan initiative.

The 2024 election campaign of Indonesia’s President-elect Prabowo Subianto and his running mate, Mr Gibran Rakabuming Raka, was marked by a slew of ambitious promises, but one stood out: free meals for schoolchildren.

The free lunch initiative is the flagship initiative among the eight contained in Mr Prabowo’s election manifesto. The message was simple yet powerful: no child in the sprawling archipelago should go hungry, and proper nutrition can be a critical factor in preventing stunting, a longstanding health challenge in the country.