Indonesia MBG program faces scrutiny over 45,000 reported poisoning cases

The Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) program in Indonesia is facing intense scrutiny following reports of widespread food poisoning. The civil society coalition MBG Watch estimates that approximately 45,000 poisoning cases have been recorded across 36 provinces.

Legal experts, including Abdul Fickar Hadjar from Trisakti University, suggest that recurring incidents of food poisoning should be addressed through criminal sanctions rather than just administrative penalties or apologies. Hadjar argues that if negligence in following standard operating procedures leads to death or illness, law enforcement must hold responsible parties accountable. He also noted that investigations should look beyond service units to investigate potential budget misappropriation that might affect food safety.

MBG Watch representatives have criticized the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for what they describe as 'gimmick' solutions, such as proposing new equipment to detect spoiled food or blaming unlabeled containers. The coalition argues these measures fail to address the root causes of the massive scale of poisoning incidents occurring within the strategic program.