5 Provinces with the Most MBG Poisoning Victims in Indonesia, according to JPPI

Findings from the Indonesian Education Monitoring Network (JPPI) indicate that 1,833 children were victims of poisoning from the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program during the week of partial closure of Nutritional Fulfillment Service Units (SPPG) from September 29 to October 3, 2025.

This figure is higher than the weekly average of 1,531 child victims during September. With this addition, the total number of MBG poisoning victims reached 10,482 children by October 4, 2025.

JPPI then identified the five provinces with the highest number of victims last week. East Java ranked first with a total of 620 children, followed by West Java (555 children), Central Java (241 children), West Sumatra (122 children), and East Nusa Tenggara (100 children).

Poisoning cases also spread to two new provinces, namely West Sumatra (122 children) and Central Kalimantan (27 children).

JPPI also found that several teachers were among the poisoning victims. This is because some teachers were tasked with tasting and supervising the MBG meals. These cases occurred in Cianjur, Ketapang, Sleman, Garut, Agam, and West Bandung.

Previously, JPPI criticized the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) for deactivating several SPPGs on Monday, September 29, 2025.

According to JPPI, only a small fraction of the SPPGs were closed, specifically those allegedly directly involved in the MBG poisoning cases. Meanwhile, thousands of other kitchens remained operational.

In fact, JPPI had urged from the outset that all SPPGs be temporarily suspended, not just those with openly identified problems. This is because the root causes of the MBG issue are far more complex than mere poisoning cases, ranging from weak oversight standards and the distribution of unsuitable food ingredients to manipulation of reporting data.

"These findings strengthen the evidence that MBG is not merely a problematic program, but a systemic failure in national nutrition governance. BGN can no longer pretend to control the situation with half-hearted measures. JPPI emphasizes that child safety is far more important than policy image," said Ubaid Matraji, National Coordinator of JPPI, in his statement to Databoks on Sunday (October 5, 2025).