DNA
Nearly 800 people in Indonesia have suffered food poisoning in separate incidents linked to the government’s free meals program, according to Charles Honoris, a member of the parliamentary commission overseeing health. The cases include more than 500 students in East Java province this week.
President Prabowo Subianto launched the multibillion-dollar program in 2023 to address under-nutrition by providing free meals to tens of millions of children. The initiative has faced controversy, including mass food poisoning outbreaks, allegations of corruption, leadership changes, and concerns over its financial sustainability.
Charles Honoris, a lawmaker and member of the sole political party outside the governing coalition, stated that 512 students in Sidoarjo, East Java, were affected by food poisoning. He added that 49 individuals in Nganjuk, East Java, and 237 in the Agam region of West Sumatra also suffered from poisoning. Honoris cited local health department data and posted the information on the social media platform Instagram, stating that these were not isolated incidents.
The National Nutrition Agency, which is responsible for the $12.94 billion (SR48.5 billion) program, did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Honoris’s statement. The agency suspended the kitchen linked to the Sidoarjo case on Wednesday (2130 GMT on Tuesday). According to the Network for Education Watch, a non-governmental watchdog, there have been multiple outbreaks of mass food poisoning associated with the free meals scheme, with 37,600 individuals reported affected as of August 8.
Authorities have frequently attributed the food poisoning incidents to improper food storage and late delivery of cooked meals. In July, a survey conducted by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting found that only one-third of respondents were satisfied with the scheme, with reported cases of poisoning cited as a major concern.
