Indonesian authorities are investigating a new wave of food poisoning incidents that sickened nearly 700 students in Yogyakarta province this week, raising fresh concerns over President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship free school meal programme.
The initiative, launched in January as a key election campaign promise, aims to provide free daily meals to millions of students across the country.
However, data from the non-governmental organisation JPPI show that about 15,000 children have fallen ill since the programme began, prompting calls for its temporary suspension.
In the latest outbreak, some 660 students from two schools in Gunungkidul, Yogyakarta, suffered food poisoning after eating meals distributed under the programme, regional head Endah Subekti Kuntariningsih said on Wednesday.
Authorities suspect improper food storage and delayed delivery of cooked meals as likely causes.
Dadan Hindayana, head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), which oversees the initiative, told Reuters on Thursday that investigators had temporarily shut down several kitchens near the affected schools while inspections continue.
Indonesia currently operates around 11,000 kitchens nationwide for the scheme.
The government had initially planned to serve 83 million beneficiaries this year, but BGN recently revised the target down to 70 million due to logistical challenges and insufficient kitchen capacity.
To minimize risks, BGN on Wednesday instructed kitchen operators to reduce portion sizes to help preserve food freshness.
President Prabowo has ordered the formation of a ministerial task force—including the health minister and BGN chief, to strengthen oversight and improve food safety standards.
Jakarta has allocated 171 trillion rupiah ($10.3 billion) for the free meal programme in 2025, though BGN expects to spend only 99 trillion rupiah by the end of the year because of implementation delays.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing as the government faces mounting pressure to ensure the safety and sustainability of one of its most ambitious social initiatives.
Source: Reuters
Written By Rodney Mbua
