Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on Sunday reaffirmed his commitment to sustaining the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program, positioning it as a tool to curb corruption by redirecting state funds toward public welfare.“I will make all-out efforts to defend the program. I prefer to use state funds to feed people rather than see them lost to corruption,” he said in an interview, according to a statement received in Jakarta.Prabowo described the MBG program as a reflection of the government’s concern for citizens, particularly children, pointing to Indonesia’s persistent problem of stunting, or chronic malnutrition that hampers physical growth.He cited a visit to a village where he met an 11-year-old child who physically resembled a four-year-old due to stunting, saying the encounter reinforced his belief that allocating funds to the program is the right course of action.The president added that the initiative aims not only to improve public health but also to generate broader economic benefits through job creation in food preparation and distribution.The government plans to establish up to 31,000 MBG kitchens, each expected to employ around 50 workers, potentially creating about 1.5 million jobs.“Each kitchen can involve five to ten vendors supplying eggs, carrots, and vegetables,” he said, adding that these vendors could indirectly support another 1.5 million workers, with each involving around five farmers in the supply chain.Prabowo acknowledged shortcomings in the program’s implementation and pledged continued improvements.“We have shut down more than one thousand kitchens,” he said, stressing the importance of enforcement alongside expansion.He also emphasized that the MBG program is financed through budget reallocations rather than new debt, noting that the policy is intended to improve efficiency and reduce leakages in state spending.