Rising Allegations of Food Poisoning in Free Nutritious Meal Programme; Sultan HB X Supported to Take Upstream to Downstream Mitigation Measures
Allegations of food poisoning have resurfaced during the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme across various regions. Most recently, a suspected food poisoning incident affecting 556 students at the Manbaul Hikam Islamic Boarding School in Sidoarjo, East Java, has drawn significant scrutiny.
Beyond East Java, field reports from Monday (31/08/2026) indicate that a similar incident occurred at a school in the Sleman district, where students consumed MBG menus. Shortly thereafter, 28 individuals reported concerning symptoms ranging from dizziness to diarrhoea. Most victims sought medical attention at nearby community health centres (puskesmas), with one requiring outpatient treatment.
The Bijana Paksi Sitengsu Foundation has issued a harsh critique, demanding more transparent management of the MBG programme to prevent further poisoning. The Foundation’s Secretary, RM Teddy Anggoro, condemned the negligence regarding cooking schedules, alleging that early-morning cooking times are the primary cause of spoiled food. He argued that vendors’ excuses regarding rushed production are unacceptable and compromise the safety of the nation’s youth.
“This is not merely negligence; it is a crime against humanity disguised as a nutrition programme! Serving spoiled food resulting from rushed dawn cooking for thousands of portions is akin to administering low doses of poison to our children. We fully support His Majesty Sri Sultan HB X in cleansing this system. Do not just issue reprimands; dismiss, blacklist, and prosecute fraudulent vendors through legal channels if they are found to be misappropriating the budget!” said Teddy Angrasoro.
Furthermore, Teddy urged the government to make the data from the Nutritional Fulfilment Service Unit (SPPG) transparent. “The public has the right to know the source of the rice, when the vegetables were harvested, and the actual budget allocated per portion. If the budget is slashed mid-way, resulting in wasteful, cheap bread menus, that is corruption of the students’ right to life,” he added.
The Foundation’s outrage aligns with the firm stance of Sri Sultan HB X, who previously instructed the Regional Secretary of DIY, Ni Made Dwi Panti Indrayanti, to summon all persons responsible for the MBG programme. The Sultan emphasised that he will not tolerate substandard menus that do not reflect the allocated state budget.
“We are setting conditions for those in charge: the menu must not be merely ‘functional’. The budget is not just Rp10,000, so the expectation is that the menu is improved to match the price, and they must agree to this,” stated the Sultan.
Following the intense pressure from the Bijana Paksi Sitengsu Foundation and the decisive stance of the Yogyakarta Palace, the MBG programme in DIY is now under strict public scrutiny. The public is now awaiting formal, written sanctions against third parties who fail to maintain hygienic standards within the daily food supply chain for students.