Indonesia’s free meal programme hits roadblocks amid protests, food poisoning, and corruption

JAKARTA, June 19 — Indonesia will suspend its free meal scheme during holiday periods, after mass protests in the capital condemned wasteful spending and demanded that the government address worsening economic conditions.

The multi-billion dollar meal scheme is one of President Prabowo Subianto’s signature policies, but has been widely criticised for its high costs, with hundreds demonstrating in Jakarta last week to call for it to be scrapped.

The National Nutrition Agency (BGN), the body tasked to distribute the meals, has ordered kitchens not to serve them in the upcoming June 22 to July 13 holiday period.

The agency said this will continue to apply on public holidays, religious holidays, and weekends.

BGN spokeswoman Agustina Arumsari said in a statement late Thursday the move was not just about “budget efficiency”, but would “ensure that every resource owned by the state truly provides optimal benefits for the groups in need”.

The state is expected to save more than three trillion rupiah (RM695 million) in the upcoming holiday period, Agustina said, adding that this would present an opportunity to take stock and “ensure that the free nutritious meal programme becomes more accurately targeted”.

More than 61 million people have benefited from the programme as of March, according to government figures.

But the scheme has been blighted by mass food poisonings and corruption claims since it started in January last year.

This month, Prabowo fired Dadan Hindayana, the head of the BGN since its inception in August 2024, along with two deputies. They stand accused of “crimes in management” of the agency.

The free meal scheme had a goal of reaching at least 82.9 million children, and pregnant and breastfeeding women – nearly one-third of the country’s population.

But it was among the first budget items to be cut back as Jakarta moved to counter the economic impact of the Middle East war.

More than 20 per cent of children in Indonesia are affected by stunting caused by severe malnutrition. — AFP