President Prabowo: Free Nutritious Meal, Red and White Cooperatives are Means to Redistribute Wealth

President Prabowo at the groundbreaking of the second stage of the national downstreaming project at Refinery Unit IV in Cilacap regency, Central Java province, on Wednesday (04/29). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)

The Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) and Red and White Village/Subdistrict Cooperative programs demonstrate the Government’s efforts to redistribute wealth to the people, according to President Prabowo Subianto.

“Many countries are learning about MBG from us. Many of them learn MBG from us. Which other countries can feed over 60 million people? Am I right? Five times a week, expectant mothers receive meals. Meals are provided for senior citizens, vulnerable senior citizens,” he said in his remarks at the groundbreaking ceremony of the second stage of the national downstreaming project at Refinery Unit IV in Cilacap regency, Central Java province, on Wednesday (04/29).

The President underscored the Government’s commitment to continuing the MBG program while overcoming its various shortcomings and highlighted its benefits to the people, including farmers and fishers.

“Farmers’ harvests were left unsold. When they had a mango harvest, the mangoes were not harvested. They are left rotting on the farm. The harvest did not translate to a purchase, then middlemen came and bought them at a very low price. It would be impossible for our people to prosper. We are changing it. Almost all farmers and fishers have guaranteed orders. The amount they produce, that is the very amount purchased by Indonesia. Every village has a Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG), has a central kitchen. If there are shortcomings, we will take action,” he said.

On that occasion, the President also pointed out that the Government aims to establish 25,000-30,000 Red and White Village/Subdistrict Cooperatives within one year, with 1,000 set to be inaugurated shortly.

“These are real cooperatives that exist not just on paper. They have warehouses, cold storage facilities, stores, and vehicles. Many of them will have driers,” he said, adding that the cooperatives have the potential to create millions of jobs.

“We are on the right path. We defend the interest of the people of Indonesia,” he remarked. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (DH/MMB)