President Prabowo Subianto has sacked the director of Indonesia’s national free school meals initiative following a sharp increase in reported cases of food poisoning among beneficiaries. The decision, announced late on Wednesday by the presidential palace, underscores mounting concerns over the logistical integrity and safety protocols of the signature welfare programme.
The programme, launched with great fanfare in January, was designed to provide nutritious meals to 20 million schoolchildren across the archipelago by 2025. It is a cornerstone of Prabowo’s domestic agenda, intended to reduce malnutrition and boost school attendance. However, since its rollout, local health authorities have recorded over 1,200 cases of foodborne illness linked to meals supplied under the scheme, including 23 hospitalisations. The most recent cluster, reported in West Java, involved 84 students who fell ill after consuming rice and vegetable dishes.
In a brief statement, palace spokesperson Rachmat Gobel confirmed the dismissal of programme director Dr. Haryanto Suwandi, describing it as a necessary step to restore public confidence. “The president is deeply concerned by the recurring incidents. He expects immediate improvements in food safety oversight and supply chain management,” Gobel said. A temporary replacement, Dr. Retno Marsudi, a former health ministry official, has been appointed while a permanent successor is sought.
The free meals programme has been a source of political capital for Prabowo, whose administration has staked significant credibility on its success. Critics, however, have long warned that the rapid expansion of the scheme outpaced the government’s capacity to monitor quality and hygiene standards, particularly in remote areas where refrigeration and clean water are scarce.
“This is a systemic failure, not a personnel issue,” said Dr. Ani Wibowo, a public health expert at the University of Indonesia. “The programme was rolled out without adequate piloting. You cannot distribute millions of meals daily without robust temperature control and supplier certification.”
Indonesia’s Food and Drug Supervisory Agency (BPOM) reported in March that 15 per cent of inspected meal providers lacked proper hygiene certifications. The agency has urged the government to mandate third-party audits for all suppliers, a recommendation that has yet to be implemented.
The dismissal comes as Prabowo faces mounting domestic pressure on multiple fronts, including rising rice prices and a stalled anti-corruption drive. Political analysts suggest that the move is as much about symbolism as substance. “Firing the director is a signal that the president is responsive to crises, but it does not address the structural weaknesses in the programme,” said Dr. Fiona Ratna, a political scientist at Gadjah Mada University.
Opposition lawmakers have called for a parliamentary inquiry, while human rights groups have questioned whether the programme prioritises political optics over child welfare. “Children are falling ill because the system is designed to show numbers, not ensure safety,” said activist Lena Hendrawati.
The government has pledged to introduce real-time monitoring via a mobile app and to train 5,000 additional food safety inspectors by year’s end. But for now, the programme’s future hangs in the balance. As one parent in East Nusa Tenggara told local media: “We want the meals to continue, but not if they make our children sick.”
