FILE PHOTO: People hold placards during a protest against the government's free meal programme in Jakarta, Indonesia, October 1, 2025. - Reuters
JAKARTA: The involvement of military and police in President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship free nutritious meal programme has come under scrutiny as it faces a food poisoning crisis and struggles to meet national targets, prompting critics to call for a complete overhaul.
Since the programme’s rollout in January, it has encountered multiple setbacks, including widespread food poisoning incidents affecting more than 11,000 children nationwide, according to the non-governmental organization Network for Education Watch Indonesia (JPPI).
The surge in cases has prompted a peaceful protest earlier this week in Jakarta, outside the headquarters of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), which oversees the free meals programme.
Mothers participating in the protest, organised under the Indonesian Mothers Alliance, demanded an immediate suspension of the programme, describing it as a “health crisis” that jeopardises children’s well-being.
A central point of concern for protesters is the involvement of police and military personnel in food preparation and distribution despite their lack of expertise in nutrition and food safety.
“[The programme] should involve nutrition experts and pediatricians," said Ririn Safsani, a spokesperson for the protestors, as others held posters reading “Stop free meals! Prioritise quality, safety and children’s dignity” and “Stop free meals! Food should be managed by civilians, not the military or police”.
“What’s more concerning is that the government has involved the military and police in distribution and supervision. They are not food institutions. Their duty is not to handle schoolchildren’s meals,” she added, as quoted by Tribunnews.
The government has tasked the military and police to run kitchens and help distribute meals to schools, citing logistical challenges in rolling out the programme across thousands of islands.
Police currently operate more than 600 kitchens and plan to build 100 more, while the military manages 452 kitchens nationwide.
Despite the support provided by the military and police, the programme is projected to fall short of its target of reaching 83 million children by year-end, with only 72 million expected to benefit due to delays in kitchen construction, especially in remote areas.
"I will do my best to reach it," BGN chief Dadan Hindayana told Reuters on Thursday (Oct 16), referring to the 83 million target. He added that having 70 million kitchens is achievable by year end.
Criticism has also centred around the composition of BGN leadership, dominated by retired military and police officers, many without formal training or expertise in nutrition, food safety, or public health.
Top officials include Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Sony Sonjaya and Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Lodewyk Pusung as Deputy Heads, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Sarwono as Chief Secretary and Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Jimmy Alexander Adirman as Principal Inspector.
Other deputy roles are similarly filled by retired officers such as Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Suardi Samiran and Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dadang Hendrayudha, raising questions about the agency’s ability to oversee a national nutrition programme.
Public policy expert Agus Pambagio warned that military personnel, accustomed to preparing meals for combat, may not adequately address children’s nutritional needs. “The wartime mindset” might prioritise speed and efficiency, which can compromise health and food safety.
He also cautioned that a leadership dominated by retired military and police could result in conflicts of interest, with decisions potentially driven by personal or institutional ties rather than children’s welfare.
JPPI has called for a temporary suspension of the programme and a comprehensive evaluation. It further recommended appointing qualified professionals with expertise in nutrition, public health and food science to lead the agency.
“How come an agency called the National Nutrition Agency is led mostly by police and military retirees?” asked Ubaid Matraji of JPPI. “The agency needs reform and should be headed by experts in nutrition and health”.
Acknowledging food poisoning reports, President Prabowo said only a small percentage of beneficiaries were affected and pledged stricter oversight, improved sanitation, new kitchen equipment and water filters.
“We are determined to make [food poisoning] as close to zero as possible,” he said at the 2025 Forbes CEO Conference on Wednesday.
The BGN deputy chair Nanik S. Deyang did not respond to The Jakarta Post’s request for comment, but chief Dadan has previously defended the reliance on retired military personnel, emphasising the need for speed in the nationwide rollout.
“Why are we assisted by retired TNI personnel? Because we need to work extra fast, reaching all areas,” Dadan said in October, adding that the combination of technocrats, scientists and retired military personnel provides an optimal formula to advance the free meals programme. - The Jakarta Post/ANN
