MBG Watch says alleged poisoning victims can pursue criminal claims

Victims of alleged food poisoning linked to Indonesia’s Free Nutritious Meals programme may have a route to criminal claims under the Criminal Code, according to MBG Watch member Galau D. Muhammad.

Galau said Law No. 1 of 2023 provides criminal sanctions for distributing food that causes health problems. MBG Watch, he added, was ready to support anyone seeking to file a criminal complaint.

“

We can base this on the Criminal Code, Law No. 1 of 2023, which highlights criminal sanctions for distributing food that causes health problems. So the regulatory basis is already open.

He criticized what he described as poisoning cases in several parts of Indonesia and said the programme should be stopped entirely because it had failed to mitigate the risk of food poisoning. If the programme continues, he called for the dissolution of the nutrition fulfillment service units, known as SPPG, and proposed alternatives such as school kitchens, school communities and women’s family welfare groups.

“

Responding to these mass poisoning cases in various regions, we clearly believe there is no solution without stopping this programme entirely.

Galau said MBG Watch recently visited students from SMAN 1 Lasem in Rembang, Central Java, who were hospitalized after suspected poisoning linked to the programme. He said 777 people were affected, including 752 students and teachers. On September 5, around a dozen students were still hospitalized.

The group interviewed four of the students, who said they had not eaten food other than MBG before developing symptoms. Some students said they would rather bring food from home in the future, while others wanted the meals checked first. Galau said their responses showed trauma among the hospitalized students.

“

So if there are reports that this suspected poisoning may have been caused by food consumed outside MBG, the students’ statements confirm that they had consumed nothing else.