KPH-AKSI Urges Police to Immediately Investigate Free Nutritious Meal Poisoning Cases in Yogyakarta

The suspected poisoning cases resulting from the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme in Yogyakarta City have come under intense scrutiny. The Coalition of Human Rights and Anti-Corruption Activists (KPH-AKSI) Yogyakarta held a protest and an audience on Tuesday (29/09/2026) to demand concrete action from the police in handling the matter.

Before conducting an audience at the Yogyakarta City Police Headquarters (Polresta Yogyakarta), the crowd gathered to deliver orations in front of the Gedung Agung in Yogyakarta. The protesters criticised the police for what they perceived as a slow response in addressing the ongoing MBG cases.

KPH-AKUS Coordinator, Tri Wahyu, questioned the legal proceedings regarding these incidents, noting that no MBG poisoning cases have yet reached the trial stage. Tri stated that the urgency of this demand is driven by the significant number of victims. According to data from the Yogyakarta Health Office, there have been 5,567 recorded victims of MBG poisoning in Yogyakarta.

“These victims cannot be viewed merely as statistical data. The Yogyakarta Special Region Health Office has stated there are over 5,000 poisoning cases in DIY, yet not a single one has been processed in court,” he said.

Tri argued that food poisoning cases can generally enter the legal process if there are allegations of violations, and therefore, the poisoning cases within the MBG programme must be handled according to legal provisions. “If we believe our constitution represents a democratic state governed by law, then there must be a legal process,” he added.

Following the orations, the crowd moved from the Gedung Agung to Polresta Yogyakarta to hold an audience. They sought clarity from the police regarding the progress of the MBG poisoning investigations in Yogyakarta. “We want to receive information regarding the progress of the case handling. This is important to ensure a deterrent effect,” Tri stated.

Responding to these demands, the Deputy Head of Intelligence at Polresta Yogyakarta, AKP Edi Prasetyo, stated that the police remain committed to handling the issue professionally, accountably, and transparently.

Meanwhile, the Head of Unit 3 of the Criminal Investigation Unit (Satreskrim) at Polrestta Yogyakarta, IPTU Gara Kinarta, explained that investigating alleged violations cannot be done immediately without undergoing formal examination stages. “All information and complaints received will certainly be followed up by the police. We are proceeding step by step through the necessary stages,” he said.

Gara also noted that investigating food poisoning cases requires coordination with other agencies, particularly those with authority in the health sector. He mentioned that the results of the investigation would determine the subsequent legal actions. Sanctions could range from administrative penalties to criminal charges if the necessary legal elements are met.

“All violations carry sanctions, whether they are administrative or, if they reach the required threshold, criminal sanctions,” he said.

During the audience, the police assured the protesters that the aspirations expressed would be forwarded and used as material in the investigation process. “I am certain that the Criminal Investigation Unit will not remain idle. Further actions will certainly be taken, which will be reported to leadership and communicated to the public,” Gara explained.