Nearly 2,000 fall ill in suspected food poisoning linked to Indonesia’s free school meals program

Indonesian officials reported that nearly 2,000 people, mostly students, fell ill this week due to suspected food poisoning linked to President Prabowo Subianto’s 'Free Nutritious Meals' (MBG) program. The incidents occurred across East Java, Central Java, West Sumatra, Aceh, and South Sulawesi. The largest outbreak was recorded in Central Java, where 752 students and 25 teachers suffered from diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. In Sidoarjo, 730 people were also affected. According to Health Ministry data, since the program's launch in January 2025, over 50,000 people have been affected in 560 separate incidents. Sudaryono, head of the National Nutrition Agency, stated that internal reviews indicate 80% to 90% of these cases resulted from failures to follow food safety procedures, such as temperature control and consumption deadlines. The government is now tightening oversight of 27,000 distribution centers and has shut down at least 833 kitchens for failing to meet hygiene standards. The $28 billion initiative, a cornerstone of President Prabowo’s administration, aims to provide meals to 90 million students and vulnerable groups to combat malnutrition.