Indonesia Free-Meal Program Food Poisoning Triggers Calls for Investigation

Around 2,000 students and teachers have reportedly fallen ill after eating government-provided free meals across several Indonesian provinces this week, prompting the country's top independent human rights body, Komnas HAM, to call on Friday for a police investigation.

Komnas HAM also urged the National Nutrition Agency, which oversees President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free-meal programme, to suspend kitchens allegedly linked to the latest poisoning outbreaks. More than 1,700 cases were reported this week across Central Java, East Java and West Sumatra. 170 students and teachers in Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi, fell ill on Thursday after eating the free meals, according to local media outlet Kompas, reported by Reuters.

Rights body seeks police probe and kitchen suspension

Komnas HAM on Friday said access to safe food was a human right and warned that without rigorous sanitation standards, the state's nutrition intervention would “lose its moral legitimacy.” It called for police to investigate the poisoning cases but gave no further details. The National Nutrition Agency had been scheduled to hold a briefing on Friday but postponed it without giving a reason or announcing a new time. A day earlier, on Thursday, agency head Sudaryono said the poisoning cases would be treated seriously.

50,000 affected by September 1

Prabowo launched the free-meal programme last year as part of a government effort to tackle malnutrition among students. By September 1, health department data cited by lawmaker Charles Honoris showed that 50,000 people had been affected by food-poisoning cases. Improper food storage and delays in delivering cooked meals are often linked to food poisoning. Public dissatisfaction had already emerged before the latest outbreaks. A July survey by Saiful Mujani Research and Consulting found that only one-third of respondents were satisfied with the scheme, with poisoning cases cited as a major reason.