Nearly 2,000 Indonesians fall ill in suspected food poisoning linked to free school meals

Nearly 2,000 people, most of them students, fell ill this week in suspected food poisoning outbreaks linked to Indonesia’s flagship Free Nutritious Meals programme. The incidents have raised fresh concerns about food safety as the government rapidly expands the multibillion-dollar initiative nationwide.

Officials said the outbreaks affected about 1,950 students, teachers and pupils at Islamic boarding schools. The cases were reported between Tuesday and Thursday in East Java, Central Java, West Sumatra, Aceh and South Sulawesi.

The programme, known by its Indonesian acronym MBG, is a signature initiative of President Prabowo Subianto. It has been rolled out across the archipelago despite repeated food poisoning incidents and corruption allegations.

The largest outbreak occurred in Central Java’s Rembang regency. At State Senior High School 1 Lasem, 752 students and 25 teachers suffered diarrhea after eating meals distributed under the programme.