TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has asserted that the incidence of food poisoning cases within the free nutritious meal program is minimal when compared to the total number of beneficiaries. According to him, approximately 200 cases of food poisoning have been reported out of over three million beneficiaries.
"Out of three-point-something million, if my information is correct, it's less than 200 people (who experienced food poisoning)," Prabowo said during a plenary cabinet session held at the Presidential Office within the State Palace Complex, Jakarta, on Monday, May 5, 2025.
Based on these figures, Prabowo calculated that the success rate of the nutritious meal program stands at 99.99 percent, while the food poisoning rate is approximately 0.005 percent.
"Two hundred out of three-point-something million, if I'm not mistaken, equals 0.005 percent. This implies a success rate of 99.99 percent," he affirmed.
The former Minister of Defense also expressed his appreciation for the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Chief Dadan Hindayana's commitment to zero deviations in the program's implementation. Prabowo conveyed his confidence in the program's overall execution.
"But, I appreciate the Chief of BGN and his staff for their statement: 'Pak, our target is zero deviation, zero mistakes.' And we understand that achieving this is not straightforward, particularly in a kitchen environment where 50 people are working, a kitchen where 50 people are involved," he acknowledged.
However, alleged food poisoning incidents linked to the Free Nutritious Meal program have surfaced in several regions. Since the program's commencement in early 2025, at least four regions have reported similar occurrences.
Dinda Shabrina contributed to this article
Editor's Choice: BGN Chief Aims for Zero Accidents in Free Nutritious Meal Program
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