Indonesia’s flagship free meal programme, launched earlier this year to fight malnutrition, has been linked to almost half of the country’s reported food poisoning incidents in 2025, a senior official revealed on Wednesday.

Speaking before lawmakers, Dadan Hindayana, head of the National Food Security Agency (BGN), said that since the billion-dollar initiative was rolled out in January under President Prabowo Subianto, more than 11,000 people across the country have fallen ill from food poisoning, with over 600 requiring hospital treatment.

“Out of 441 recorded incidents of food poisoning, the free meal programme accounts for 211 incidents — or 48 percent of these cases,” Dadan told parliament. “Each incident may involve dozens or even thousands of people.”

The programme, a cornerstone of President Prabowo’s social policy agenda, aims to provide nutritious meals to schoolchildren and low-income families nationwide to tackle hunger and stunting. However, critics have increasingly questioned its implementation, citing poor hygiene standards and weak oversight.

Last month, more than 660 students at two schools in Central Java were hospitalized after suffering from diarrhoea, nausea, and dizziness following consumption of meals supplied through the programme.

Dadan noted that roughly half of the food poisoning cases traced to the initiative were caused by E. coli contamination, underscoring major lapses in sanitation during food preparation.

In response, the government has introduced stricter hygiene and safety measures. Kitchens operating under the scheme — more than 14,000 nationwide — are now required to sterilize all serving trays and use filtered water for cooking and cleaning utensils.

Dadan emphasized that these measures were essential to restoring public confidence in the initiative, which has so far provided meals to over 42 million people across Indonesia.

Despite the setbacks, government officials have defended the programme’s overall impact, arguing that it remains a vital tool in combating malnutrition and child stunting, which continue to affect millions of Indonesian children.

However, public health experts and opposition figures have urged the administration to temporarily suspend operations in affected areas until food safety procedures are fully enforced, warning that continued incidents could undermine both public trust and the programme’s long-term goals. (ILKHA)