KSP Chief Muhammad Qodari stressed on Saturday the need to strengthen both the program's mechanisms and institutional framework to ensure its objectives are achieved without compromising student health.
"There must be improvements in mechanisms, institutions, and other aspects. This is a wake-up call, and we must improve it quickly. What we fear most are accidents in remote areas, where the focus of handling is not as strong as in cities," Qodari said.
The latest case occurred on September 18 in Garut, West Java, where 569 students were affected.
Qodari emphasized that the MBG program must apply zero tolerance for accidents, noting that any failure to meet hygiene standards, however minor, is unacceptable.
He also expressed concern about the higher risks in remote areas with limited access to healthcare facilities.
"In cities, students may recover quickly due to good facilities, but in remote areas, this could become a disaster," he added.
State Secretariat Minister Prasetyo Hadi has publicly apologized for the poisoning incidents, assuring that the government has carried out swift recovery efforts and launched a full evaluation.
"This incident will serve as a point for evaluation. Mitigation and corrective measures are currently being carried out to ensure such cases do not happen again," he said.
The National Nutrition Agency (BGN), which oversees the program, has tightened MBG kitchen standards with the aim of achieving a zero-incident target nationwide.
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Translator: Bayu, Kenzu
Editor: Anton Santoso
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