JAKARTA – Lalu Hadrian Irfani, Deputy Chairman of Commission X of the House of Representatives (DPR), highlighted the mass poisoning cases affecting thousands of students in various regions after consuming food from the Free Nutritional Meals (MBG) program. Lalu requested that the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education (Mendikdasmen), Abdul Mu'ti, immediately coordinate with the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to find a quick and appropriate solution.
According to Lalu, cross-agency coordination is crucial to ensure an integrated handling of the poisoning cases and prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.
"The health and safety of students must be placed above all else. This program was born out of good intentions to improve the nutritional intake of our children, but its implementation must not sacrifice their safety. We must learn from this case and immediately conduct a comprehensive evaluation," Lalu Ari told reporters on Wednesday, September 24.
Lalu emphasized that the primary goal of the MBG program is to improve the health and nutritional adequacy of students. However, the fact that thousands of students have experienced food poisoning indicates serious problems in management and oversight.
Therefore, Lalu believes a serious audit of the entire MBG implementation chain is necessary, from food procurement through storage and distribution to kitchen management. He emphasized that quality control and hygiene standards must not be lax.
"The evaluation must cover all aspects, from upstream to downstream. There must be no gaps that could endanger children. I request that MBG kitchen managers and schools be closely monitored to ensure that every meal provided meets nutritional and hygienic standards," Lalu Ari emphasized.
Lalu cautioned that the government should not rush to expand the program's scope without ensuring the system's readiness on the ground. He also emphasized that the MBG program is an important investment for the future of the younger generation, but it will lose legitimacy if it results in casualties.
"We fully support the MBG program because its intentions are good. However, the government must improve the design of this policy to prevent thousands more children from falling ill. Every child's life and health are far more important than simply achieving program targets," he said.
Lalu Ari also hopes that the government's evaluation will result in tangible improvements, including increasing the capacity of food providers, monitoring nutritional quality, and involving experts in the fields of public health and nutrition. He is optimistic that this program will be successful if there is synergy between all parties.
"The central government, local governments, schools, food providers, health workers, and the community must all be involved in ensuring that our children receive truly safe, healthy, and nutritious food," he concluded.
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