TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Charles Honoris, Deputy Chair of Commission IX of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR), is pressing for the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) to permanently shut down the kitchen for the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, which is also called the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG), at Pondok Kelapa 2, East Jakarta, following an incident where 72 students experienced food poisoning on Thursday, April 2, 2026.
According to Charles, BGN's sanction of temporarily halting the kitchen's operations is not sufficient to address the impact caused.
"Considering that this incident concerns the safety and health of the public, especially children as beneficiaries of the program, we assert that every SPPG proven to cause food poisoning must be permanently closed and have its operational permit revoked, without exception," Charles Honoris stated in a written release on Monday, April 6, 2026.
He asserted that permanent closure is a form of moral accountability and a deterrent to ensure that all SPPG managers adhere to food safety standards in a disciplined and consistent manner. Moreover, Charles mentioned that BGN's findings stated that the conditions of the Pondok Kelapa 2 kitchen, including its layout and Wastewater Treatment Plant (IPAL), do not meet the standards.
Hence, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI Perjuangan) politician evaluated that the negligence should be met with the harshest sanctions to serve as a warning for other SPPGs not to play around with public safety.
"The poisoning incident at Pondok Kelapa is concrete evidence of the failure to implement food safety standards, sanitation hygiene, and strict and consistent quality control supervision," he said.
Furthermore, Charles urged BGN to make the permanent closure of SPPGs a standard enforcement of national law and supervision, not just a casuistic or limited to a single incident. This is to affirm that there is no tolerance for SPPGs that are careless in maintaining hygiene and food safety at MBG.
He also requested that BGN immediately conduct a comprehensive audit of the entire supply chain, starting from raw material procurement, production processes, to food distribution, and ensure compliance with standard operating procedures (SOP) at all MBG points.
"This incident should not be seen as an isolated case, but a serious alarm to evaluate the partner implementer selection and supervision systems," Charles emphasized.
Next, Charles conveyed that the IX Commission of the DPR will push for strengthening the oversight function of the MBG program by involving the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) more intensively and systematically at every nutrition service unit.
He viewed that the preventive oversight scheme must be tightened to ensure that MBG truly provides nutritional benefits, rather than posing health risks. "The state cannot just wait for action after casualties have already occurred," Charles stated.
Read: 4,755 Students Hit By MBG Poisoning Case, Teachers' Union Flags Govt Negligence
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