Jakarta (ANTARA) - Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa stated that the budget for disaster recovery in Sumatra is sufficient, ensuring there is no need to reallocate funds from the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program.
He told the press here on Wednesday that the Indonesian government had set aside Rp60 trillion (around US$3.58 billion) for disaster recovery in Sumatra.According to him, the proposed funding needed to recover the three flood- and landslide-hit provinces in Sumatra, namely Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, has only reached approximately Rp51 trillion.
With these funds available, Purbaya emphasized that the government remains committed to implementing the MBG program as planned.
Several members of the House of Representatives (DPR) had proposed diverting a portion of the MBG budget to accelerate disaster response measures across Sumatra.
Deputy Chair of Commission IX of the DPR, Charles Honoris, argued that distributing free meals during the school holiday period risks being ineffective, adding that the funds are more urgently needed to address evacuees' nutritional needs and to repair healthcare facilities in disaster-stricken areas.
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In response, the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), which is tasked with implementing the MBG program, asserted that any decision to change budget allocations falls entirely under the authority of the president and the Ministry of Finance.
Amid the school holiday period, the agency is continuing to distribute free meals to students to ensure optimal budget absorption.
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Devastating floods and landslides struck Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra in late November 2025 following high-intensity rainfall.
The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) data showed that as of December 24, the death toll from the disasters had reached 1,129, while 174 people remain missing.
The disasters damaged a total of 157,838 houses, including 47,165 that were severely damaged.
