Lawmaker Calls for Moratorium on Indonesia's Free Meal Program - Tempo.co English
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - House of Representatives (DPR) Commission IX Deputy Chair Charles Honoris has urged the government to temporarily suspend the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program amid a continued rise in food poisoning cases linked to President Prabowo Subianto's flagship program.
“In my view, to produce something good, the government must be willing to take various steps, including not being reluctant to impose a temporary moratorium to make the program even better in the future,” Charles said at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta on Monday, September 14, 2026.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) politician said evaluations conducted while the program continued had failed to effectively reduce the number of food poisoning cases.
According to Health Ministry data cited by Charles, MBG-related food poisoning has affected more than 53,000 people in 584 incidents across 254 regencies and cities in 33 provinces.
He said the figures showed that food poisoning incidents had continued to occur, averaging around 5,000 cases per month this year. Cases only declined in March when school holidays temporarily halted MBG distribution.
“But in recent months, the figures have remained relatively stable at around 4,000 to 5,000 cases per month,” he said.
Charles said food poisoning incidents would continue to recur unless the program's system was fundamentally changed.
He called for a comprehensive overhaul of the MBG implementation scheme, including shifting from centralized kitchens to school-based canteens.
He said the government's ongoing school revitalization program could be used to address schools that currently lack canteen facilities.
“There is no reason for schools not to have canteens anymore,” Charles said.
Charles also criticized the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for what he described as an inadequate response to food poisoning victims.
He urged the agency to establish a clear compensation mechanism, saying the impact of food poisoning was felt not only by students but also placed an additional burden on their parents.
“The government should have a mechanism to provide compensation and reimbursement to people who become victims of food poisoning,” Charles said.
In previous statements, BGN Chief Sudaryono reaffirmed the agency's commitment to tightening governance and oversight of the MBG program to prevent food poisoning incidents.
Preventive measures include improving standard operating procedures (SOPs) in the field, limiting the consumption window for prepared food to a maximum of four hours after cooking, and imposing strict sanctions, including the removal of heads of Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG), when negligence is proven.
On compensation, Sudaryono said there was currently no institutional mechanism for compensating victims of MBG-related food poisoning. However, he welcomed the proposal to provide compensation to those affected.
He said the agency's priority so far had been ensuring that victims received medical treatment following food poisoning.
“In every food poisoning case, there are additional costs that are not covered. For example, if a victim is treated at a private hospital that is not covered by BPJS, BGN covers the cost,” Sudaryono, a Gerindra Party politician, said during a Commission IX working meeting with BGN on September 3, 2026.
