Indonesia's Free School Meal Program Faces Cuts and Food‑Poisoning Scandals

Makan Bergizi Gratis food poisoning budget cuts SPPG suspensions Zulkifli Hasan

President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) programme was launched to provide free meals to about 83 million Indonesians – school children, pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and toddlers – with an initial fiscal‑year budget of 335 trillion rupiah (≈9 % of the national budget). By mid‑2026 the programme had reached over 63 million beneficiaries through roughly 29 600 Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG) units.

Health authorities report at least 37 000 cases of food‑poisoning linked to the meals. Outbreaks have prompted temporary suspension of SPPG kitchens in several districts: two units in Kulonprogo (Java) were halted for violating operational SOPs; eleven kitchens in Sleman were stopped due to renovation, wastewater‑treatment and licensing gaps; and a kitchen in Pesawaran, Lampung was closed after 32 students and a teacher fell ill, suspectedly from a fruit‑soup menu.

Minister Coordinator for Food Security Zulkifli Hasan announced a two‑stage rollout that will prioritize pesantren, religious schools and the 3T (frontier, remote, and under‑developed) regions. Indonesian Audit Watch urged stronger governance and transparency, while Badan Gizi Nasional chief Sudaryono warned that any SPPG failing hygiene, nutrition or operational standards will be shut down. Budget pressures and corruption scandals have led the government to scale back the programme, reducing the fiscal allocation and reconsidering eligibility criteria.

Entities

Badan Gizi Nasional (BGN) · Cahyo Harjo Prakoso · Herry Mulyadi · Indonesian Audit Watch (IAW) · Iskandar Sitorus · Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) · Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG) programme · Minister Coordinator Zulkifli Hasan · Minister Zulkifli Hasan · President Prabowo Subianto · Ridwan Usman · Saipul

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[○ 1 SOURCE] Badan Gizi Nasional (BGN) was established in August 2024 and now manages the MBG programme. rmol.id
[● 3 SOURCES] IAW warned that the large movement of public money in the MBG programme makes strong governance a necessity rather than an option. www.portadaestrela.com · www.antaranews.com · rmol.id
[● 3 SOURCES] The MBG programme aims to improve nutrition for school children, pregnant women, lactating mothers and toddlers and to boost the national economy by involving farmers, fishers, cooperatives and MSMEs. www.portadaestrela.com · www.antaranews.com · rmol.id
[● 2 SOURCES] By mid‑2026, the MBG programme had reached more than 63 million beneficiaries through about 29,600 SPPG units. www.antaranews.com · www.portadaestrela.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] Minister coordinator Zulhas said the MBG programme is prioritized for Islamic schools, other religious schools and 3T areas. www.portadaestrela.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Indonesian Audit Watch called for the government to strengthen governance of the MBG programme to ensure transparency, accountability and legal certainty. www.portadaestrela.com · www.antaranews.com · rmol.id
[● 3 SOURCES] Alleged food‑poisoning incidents have prompted government evaluations in several regions. www.portadaestrela.com · www.antaranews.com · rmol.id
[● 3 SOURCES] The programme faces challenges including changes to technical guidelines, kitchen capacity adjustments, partner verification portal closures, legal relationship changes between BGN, foundations and ‑ www.portadaestrela.com · www.antaranews.com · rmol.id
[● 4 SOURCES] BGN chief Sudaryono said SPPG that fail to meet hygiene, nutrition and operational standards will be shut down after inspections. jogjapolitan.harianjogja.com · www.portadaestrela.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] GAPEMBI Jawa Barat pledged to support MBG under Sudaryono's leadership, collaborating with the government. jabar.jpnn.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] A civil servant in Lampung was detained on suspicion of fraud for selling SPPG permits worth about Rp 74.75 million, with promised documents not delivered. berita.liputan6.com
[○ 1 SOURCE] DPRD Jawa Timur member Cahyo Harjo Prakoso reported satisfactory MBG implementation at Surabaya SDN Perak Utara 3, noting good coordination and menu quality. beritajatim.com