TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi's cabinet discussed the free lunch program proposed by running candidates Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka at a meeting held today at the State Palace, Jakarta.

In the Plenary Cabinet Session, Jokowi and his ministers discussed several issues from the plans for Eid al-Fitr to the macroeconomic assumptions for 2025.

Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia confirmed that Jokowi's Cabinet meeting on Monday morning included discussions on the Prabowo-Gibran free lunch program. "Earlier we discussed Mr. Prabowo's programs, including the initial stage of the free lunch program," he said.

So far, there has been no official statement from Prabowo-Gibran regarding the free lunch program. A written statement from Prabowo-Gibran's National Campaign Team Expert Council last week noted that the first phase of the free lunch program would take up around Rp100-120 trillion.

Bahlil claimed that the cabinet meeting to discuss next year's draft budget did not precede the KPU's official announcement. However, he admitted to not knowing whether the program of other presidential candidates will also be discussed.

"We'll just make a plan. We'll wait until the KPU announces the [elected president]. This is a design, a simulation," he said.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono, or AHY said the Prabowo-Gibran free lunch program was discussed briefly.

President Jokowi has explained that the program was discussed to bridge the working plan and the state fiscal policy for 2025. According to him, the 2025 State Budget plan must consider which candidate is elected to cater to their need, since “the person running the 2025 State Budget is the elected president," he said in the meeting.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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