Jakarta, Sept. 10 -- Indonesia's Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa has asked the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to hold monthly press briefings on the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program to ensure effective use of state funds.

In a working meeting with Commission XI of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Wednesday, he said the BGN should report on the program's budget absorption. Sadewa also committed to accompanying the agency's head in delivering the updates.

Apart from the MBG program, he stressed that other initiatives with slow budget absorption will also be reviewed. According to him, sluggish government spending is one of the key factors hindering economic growth.

To address this, Sadewa said his focus is on bo...