The Public Discussion Press Brief “Assessing the 2026 State Budget Draft: Policy Directions for MSMEs, Cooperatives, and the Digital Economy”, held on September 4, 2025, in Jakarta, highlighted various strategic issues within the government’s budget draft. Izzudin Al Farras assessed that the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG), despite its good intentions, has led to numerous problems, from food poisoning and halal concerns to alleged corruption. He recommended a temporary suspension for a comprehensive evaluation, followed by a gradual continuation in five priority provinces using a collaborative model to ensure greater effectiveness and transparency.
Fadhila Maulida criticized the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (KDMP/KLMP), which are only halfway digitized and still dominated by traditional businesses, potentially overlapping with Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDes) and MSMEs. She suggested model standardization, integration with local entities, indicator-based monitoring, regulatory synchronization, human resource capacity building, and an exit strategy from subsidies towards self-reliance. Nur Komaria emphasized the importance of the digital economy as a driver for the 2026 State Budget Draft agenda; however, the budget for the Ministry of Communication and Digital has decreased, risking hindrance to infrastructure and cybersecurity strengthening. She advocated for additional budget allocation, acceleration of derivative regulations from the Personal Data Protection Law, and the integration of digital literacy and AI into education and training.
Aviliani highlighted the economic disparity that is increasingly pressuring lower-middle income groups. She proposed improvements to the MBG scheme for a more direct impact, positioning village cooperatives as a link between MSMEs/farmers and large businesses, and strengthening institutions and fiscal incentives to encourage partnerships. For the digital economy, she emphasized prioritizing cybersecurity to protect public transactions and assets.
