Jakarta (TDI): Indonesia’s flagship free meals program is facing mounting criticism after thousands of children and adults were sickened by food poisoning, prompting calls from parents and non-profit groups for the scheme to be suspended.
The latest outbreak occurred in West Bandung, on Java island, where more than 1,300 schoolchildren were treated last week for nausea, diarrhea and breathing difficulties after eating government-provided meals, local media reported. The government has since shut down dozens of production kitchens linked to the incidents.
Launched by President Prabowo Subianto earlier this year as a major effort to tackle child malnutrition, the initiative was intended to provide free meals for tens of millions of Indonesians. But instead, it has been marred by food safety failures, with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) confirming 70 poisoning incidents between January and late September affecting at least 6,400 people.
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“The actual number could be higher because the government has no transparent reporting system,” said Diah Satyani Saminarsih, head of the non-profit Center for Indonesia’s Strategic Development Initiatives. She blamed the rapid expansion of the program, which grew from serving 3 million beneficiaries in April to more than 31 million by September, for overwhelming food safety controls, AFP reported.
Critics argue the scale-up was rushed. The number of production kitchens ballooned from about 1,000 to nearly 10,000 in less than six months. Many, officials admitted, lacked experienced cooks and proper oversight. “The quality of raw materials, water and operational standards contributed to the incidents,” said BGN chair Dadan Hindayana.
The program, which allocates 62 cents per meal, has been budgeted at 71 trillion rupiah ($4.2 billion) for 2025, with another 28 trillion rupiah recently requested. Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the government is preparing additional funds.
President Prabowo defended the initiative in a televised address on Monday, insisting that food poisoning cases accounted for a “tiny fraction” of meals served. “The deviation or error is 0.00017 percent,” he said, adding that all kitchens are now required to test meals before distribution.
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Still, civil society groups are pressing for a pause. “It is very urgent to suspend this program,” said Izzudin Al Farras of the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance. Ubaid Matraji, from the Network for Education Watch, warned: “We cannot wait for thousands more victims. We cannot let deaths happen.”
The nutrition agency said 56 kitchens had been suspended as part of a “comprehensive evaluation” and vowed to tighten safety protocols. “The safety of children and other beneficiaries is our top priority,” said deputy chair Nanik S. Deyang.
