Thousands feared malnourished

KENDARI, Southeast Sulawesi: Thousands of children across Southeast Sulawesi are believed to be suffering from malnutrition, the result of poverty and a lack of nutritional knowledge on the part of parents.

Andi Norma, an adviser to the provincial Civil Servants' Wives Association, said on Tuesday the provincial administration should revive a supplemental food program for students in order to fight malnutrition.

"Otherwise the young people in this province will suffer damage to their intellectual and physical development," she said to association members, who were taking part in a cooking competition.

The supplemental food program was sponsored by the central government for two years, but was halted when regional autonomy came into effect last year.

"I know that the program costs billions of rupiah, but don't think just about the money. We should consider the quality of our young people, which cannot be bought by money," Andi said.

She said similar programs had been proposed by a number of mayors and regents, but had been rejected by the provincial legislature because they were not considered priorities. --Antara