Indonesia’s Prabowo sparks spending concerns with $28bn free school meals plan

Prabowo Subianto won over millions of Indonesian voters with the promise of free meals for schoolchildren. But his wide-ranging spending plans have yet to convince investors that he can afford to offer the country at large a free lunch.

Indonesia’s incoming president is considering stricter tax enforcement, reducing subsidies, potentially raising borrowing and even budget cuts for a $32bn new capital to fund his flagship campaign pledge — a nationwide school meal programme that is estimated to cost Rp460tn ($28bn).