Indonesia faces calls to halt free meals plan as over 5,000 school children fall ill

Indonesia’s government is under mounting pressure to suspend President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship free meals program after thousands of students fell ill in a widespread food poisoning outbreak linked to school lunches.

Television footage showed hospital wards overcrowded with children, many crying in pain and holding their stomachs. Ambulances, vans, and even trucks were used to rush victims to hospitals, while police and medical staff worked to assist the sick.

Background of the Free Meals Program

The Free Nutritious Meal Program, launched in January 2025, was designed to combat malnutrition by providing meals to nearly 90 million children and pregnant women. A key campaign promise by Subianto, the initiative is expected to cost around $28 billion through 2029.

Indonesia, with a population of over 282 million and Southeast Asia’s largest economy, has long battled malnutrition and stunting among children, making the program one of the administration’s highest priorities.

Rising Cases of Food Poisoning

The National Nutrition Agency reported around 1,376 cases of food poisoning linked to school meals from January to June. This week, however, the situation escalated sharply, with 4,711 students reported ill nationwide — including over 1,000 cases in West Java province alone.

Agency chief Dadan Hindayana confirmed that kitchens associated with poisoning cases had been suspended, while local governments deployed nutritionists and health workers to oversee meal distribution.

“The total number of food poisonings was only 4,711 portions out of 1 billion portions cooked during the 9-month program,” Hindayana said, stressing that improvements would be made.

Conflicting Government Figures

Despite the agency’s figures, Presidential Staff Office head Muhammad Qodari revealed on Thursday that different government bodies recorded higher numbers of victims:

• Ministry of Health: 5,207 cases

• Food and Drug Monitoring Agency: 5,320 cases

Qodari acknowledged that the data varied but confirmed that more than 5,000 children were affected.

West Java Worst Affected

West Java Governor Dedi Mulyadi said the province has been hit hardest. On Monday, at least 470 students fell ill in Bandung after eating free lunches. By Wednesday, three more outbreaks in Sukabumi sickened around 580 children. Additional cases across the province on Thursday raised the total to at least 1,775 victims.

Students reported symptoms including shortness of breath, nausea, dizziness, and severe stomach pain.

“We must evaluate those running the programs that have caused health concerns and traumatized children,” Mulyadi said. “Right now, our priority is to ensure proper care and address the trauma students are experiencing.”

Calls for Suspension Grow

The Centre for Indonesia’s Strategic Development Initiatives (CISDI) suggested that official reports may significantly underestimate the scale of the crisis.

“The true number of cases is suspected to be much higher as many are reluctant to report what really happened,” said Diah Saminarsih, CISDI’s chief executive. “We call to suspend the program due to health concerns.”

Similarly, the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network, a watchdog group, criticized the initiative, saying it had failed in its objectives.

“We call on President Prabowo Subianto to temporarily halt the free meal program and conduct a thorough evaluation,” coordinator Ubaid Matraji said. “Child safety must be placed above the government’s political goals.”

What’s Next?

As the number of food poisoning cases continues to climb, the government faces mounting pressure to pause or overhaul the $28 billion scheme. While the initiative was designed to tackle long-standing malnutrition issues, critics warn that its execution flaws risk causing more harm than good.

For now, President Prabowo’s administration is expected to face intensifying scrutiny from civil society groups, parents, and health experts until comprehensive reforms are introduced.