October 20, 2025 | 06:30 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) recorded an increase in victims of food poisoning from the free nutritious meal program (MBG) from October 13 to 19, 2025. During this period, as many as 1,602 children were reported to have suffered from food poisoning.
"If we total it, the number of victims as of October 19, 2025, has reached 13,168 children," said National Coordinator of JPPI Ubaid Matraji in a written statement on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
He said there are five provinces with the highest number of victims of MBG poisoning. Firstly, West Java with 549 victims, followed by the Special Region of Yogyakarta with 491 victims. Still on the island of Java, JPPI data shows that cases of food poisoning from the free nutritious meal program also occurred massively in Central Java with 270 victims. "Next is North Sumatra with 99 victims and West Nusa Tenggara with 84 victims," Ubaid said.
He said the data is based on reports received from civil society organizations. According to him, it is possible that the number of MBG menu poisoning cases is higher than the reported cases.
Ubaid also criticized President Prabowo Subianto's response, who claimed that the success rate of the free nutritious meal program reached 99.9 percent. The president's claim is based on the percentage of the number of victims of food poisoning among the beneficiaries. "For us, this claim is not evidence of success, but a sign of danger," he said.
He believes that the president's claim of the success of the MBG program implementation shows that the government is normalizing the chaotic management of the program. The government, he said, has also indirectly shown neglect for the safety of children's lives. "Prabowo seems to have forgotten that behind that figure, there are thousands of children who are poisoned and their safety is threatened," said Ubaid.
Ubaid called on the government to immediately temporarily suspend the distribution of free nutritious meals. At least until there are clear regulations and all areas and SPPGs have met food safety standards. "Prioritize children's safety, don't just pursue targets and claims of success," he said.
Responding to this assessment, the Head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, shrugged it off. He said that the assessment from civil society on the implementation of free nutritious meals will be used as motivation to improve. "The assessment can be a driving force to do better," said Dadan when contacted on Sunday, October 19, 2025.
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