Soeharto regrets food poisoning in Lampung
Soeharto regrets food poisoning in Lampung
JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto expressed concern yesterday
over the food poisoning incident which killed two school children
and affected more than 165 others in Lampung last week.
He also asked parents involved in preparing food for the
supplemental food program to be extra careful in the future to
avoid repeating the incident.
"We all should learn from this bitter and sad experience. This
is a huge program involving tens of thousands of elementary
schools, and seven million children," Soeharto was quoted as
saying by Minister of Home Affairs Yogie S.M.
Accompanied by State Minister for National Development
Planning Ginandjar Kartasasmita, Yogie reported to Soeharto that
167 elementary students and three teachers in Sabuk Indah
village, Lampung, fell ill shortly after eating the porridge.
They were rushed to a local hospital but all except 25 pupils
were allowed to return home the same day. The remaining 25 were
transferred to hospitals in the nearby town of Kotabumi and the
provincial capital of Bandar Lampung.
Two of the children died late Monday.
After a meeting with Soeharto, Yogie said the team
investigating the food poisoning incident found no "deliberate
act" behind the case. The team was still investigating whether
the mung beans were contaminated with pesticides, he said.
Antara quoted Ginandjar as saying that despite the poisoning
incident, the food program for school children in impoverished
areas will continue.
"It is impossible that parents would deliberately poison their
children's food. The shop wouldn't have done it," he said.
"The food poisoning occurred not because there's something
wrong with the program. However, it could happen again unless we
are more careful."
The government started the food supplemental program for
children in poor villages in July last year. The aim of the
program is to help the growth and development of children.
The additional food, cooked and supplied by local housewives,
is handed out free three times a week at a cost of Rp 350 (15
U.S. cents) per child per day. (swe)