TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto has addressed a series of food poisoning incidents affecting students who are beneficiaries of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program. He argued that, compared to the program's overall success, the instances of poisoning are statistically very low.
"It can be said that around 200 people were affected by poisoning, which is 200 out of over three point something million (3.4 million beneficiaries), if I am not mistaken, 0.005 percent. This means its success rate is 99.99 percent," Prabowo stated during a Cabinet Plenary Session at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Monday, May 5, 2025.
He asserted that the food processing at the kitchens of the Nutritious Meal Provision Units (SPPG) for the MBG program strictly adheres to cleanliness and safety standards. He noted that kitchen staff are equipped with personal protective equipment (PPE).
"What I inspected was good, with staff wearing head covers, gloves, PPE, and some even had to remove their shoes. The President was asked to take off his shoes, and I complied," Prabowo recounted.
He suggested that several factors contribute to the food poisoning cases in the MBG meal packages, including the diverse eating habits and cultures across different regions. He provided an example, stating that some children are not accustomed to eating with a spoon.
"The issue is also due to our customs, our culture. I went into a room with 30 children. 20 wanted to use a spoon, while 10 did not. It's not their fault; they are used to eating without a spoon," said the Chair of the Great Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra).
Furthermore, the President observed that many students still do not have the habit of washing their hands. He emphasized that these basic hygiene practices can prevent food poisoning incidents.
"We need to educate and teach them to wash their hands. So, it's possible that the cause of poisoning is such things, trivial but basic things," Prabowo stressed.
The President also suggested that parents encourage their children to use spoons. He requested that the MBG program committee provide spoons within a reasonable budget.
"In addition to children who are reluctant to wash their hands and do not want to use spoons, there are also, unfortunately, those who are not accustomed to certain foods. For example, if given milk, they are not suitable because they have never consumed milk in their lives. This is called lactose intolerance; after a few weeks, they will experience diarrhea," Prabowo said.
Despite the reported cases of food poisoning, he described the MBG program as something to be proud of. He revealed that numerous world leaders have expressed interest in visiting Indonesia to show their support for the MBG program.
"A global figure like Bill Gates (founder of Microsoft) will come to meet me. If I'm not mistaken, the letter was from November 2024, requesting a meeting, among other things, to express support and appreciation for our nutritious meal program," Prabowo stated.
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