Cornered by Constitutional Court Justice After Telling MBG Stories from Other Countries, This is the Profile of the University of Indonesia Law Dean
In the judicial review hearing of the National Education System Law and the 2026 State Budget Law at the Constitutional Court (MK), Constitutional Justice Saldi Isra tossed a key question at constitutional law expert and UI Law Dean, Parulian Paidi Aritonang. Saldi asked whether the European countries used as comparisons for the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program have a constitutional provision requiring a minimum 20 percent budget allocation for education. Parulian admitted there is no such provision, so Saldi cut his question short.
Earlier, Parulian had laid out school lunch models in Europe, like the universal approach in Finland and Sweden, the selective scheme in England, and the mix of subsidies and parental contributions in France and Italy. He also touched on Japan, where lunch is part of the curriculum, Brazil, which includes the right to food in its constitution, and India, which made it a fundamental right through a court ruling.
The hearing examined three cases concerning Article 22 paragraph (3) of the 2026 State Budget Law, which the petitioners argue broadens the meaning of education operational funding and could potentially include the MBG program without clear limits. The debate highlighted the balance between fiscal policy flexibility and constitutional limits on the use of education budgets.
Parulian Paidi Aritonang is the Dean of UI Law Faculty for the 2023–2027 period, an economic law expert with an LL.M from Kyushu University and an MPP from the University of Tokyo. He specializes in bankruptcy law, competition law, intellectual property, and energy regulation, and has experience as a consultant for various ministries.
https://kabarbaik.co/kena-skak