DPR Commission IX Calls for Task Force Formation Following Free Nutritious Meal Poisoning Incidents
The Deputy Chairman of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), Yahya Zaini, has called on the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to tighten supervision of the Nutrition Fulfilment Service Units (SPPG) following reports that hundreds of students at the Manbaul Hikam Islamic Boarding School in Tanggulangin, Sidoarjo, were suspected of food poisoning after consuming Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) menus. Yahya requested the formation of a special task force to conduct regular inspections.
“I request that the BGN increase periodic and precise supervision of every kitchen by forming an MBG Task Force involving the BPOM (Food and Drug Monitoring Agency), local governments, health offices, school principals, and parents,” Yahint told reporters on Friday (4/9/2026).
“The ongoing cases of poisoning indicate that the supervision conducted by the BGN is still weak. Monitoring must be carried out every week for all kitchen heads,” he added.
Yahya expressed deep concern regarding the rising number of MBG poisoning cases, particularly in Sidoarjo, which has recorded the highest number of victims. He demanded that the victims receive proper medical treatment and insisted that the BGN bear all medical costs.
He argued that the involvement of various parties is essential to ensure comprehensive oversight of the MBG implementation. While acknowledging that the new Head of the BGN has taken firm action by temporarily closing problematic kitchens, he noted that these measures have not yet reached all operational kitchens.
“I ask the BGN to conduct a thorough and transparent investigation to identify the causes of these poisoning cases, and to fix the governance in a detailed and precise manner,” he continued.
Furthermore, the Golkar Party politician emphasised that firm actions must be accompanied by a total evaluation of governance, supervision, and the human resources managing the kitchens. He also urged the BGN to enhance the capacity of SPPG kitchen heads, noting that most poisoning incidents stem from negligence in food management.
Regarding the incident in Sidoarjo, the National Nutrition Agency reported that the number of poisoned students has reached 512. Ketut Sumedana, Deputy for Monitoring and Supervision at the BGN, revealed that the cause was a failure to follow Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) during distribution.
“It was due to indiscipline within the SPPG and the distribution process. The loading process should be completed within 4 hours of cooking and distributed immediately. However, in the field, it took more than 4 hours,” Ketut told reporters on Thursday (3/9/2026).
“That is what caused the poisoning, as these meals do not use preservatives, making them prone to spoiling and rapid bacterial growth,” he added.
In addition to Sidoarjo, a similar incident occurred at SMAN 1 Lasem, where approximately 750 students and teachers were suspected of being poisoned. Teaching activities were halted early, and students were sent home. The Principal of SMAN 1 Lasem, Juhartutik, explained that students and teachers began experiencing nausea and diarrhoea around 09:00 WIB.
“I ordered a census of every class to identify those experiencing diarrhoea. The data showed between 20 to 31 people per class. Across 33 classes, a total of 725 students and 25 teachers suffered from diarrhoea,” Juhartutik explained.