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Prabowo monitors free meals program as problems appear

News Desk (The Jakarta Post)
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Jakarta
Tue, February 4, 2025

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Prabowo monitors free meals program as problems appear This handout photograph taken and released on Feb. 3, 2025, by Indonesia's Presidential Palace shows Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto (second right) in a classroom at the Jati 05 Pagi State Elementary School as part of his inspection of the recently launched nationwide free nutritious meals program, in East Jakarta. (AFP/Indonesia's Presidential Palace )

P

resident Prabowo Subianto finally conducted “an impromptu visit” to several schools in Jakarta on Monday to observe the implementation of his flagship free nutritious meals program.

Problems surrounding the program have emerged, including incidents of food poisoning, delivery delays and partners allegedly withdrawing from the program because of delayed payments from the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).

During the Monday visit, Prabowo observed meal distribution at State Elementary School (SD) 05 Jati and State Kindergarten (TK) 02 in Pulogadung, East Jakarta, where he spoke with teachers to assess the program’s implementation. 

He later inspected a designated kitchen in Rawamangun, where meals are prepared before delivery to schools.

Since the program launched on Jan. 6, concerns have emerged regarding its implementation. Recent social media reports suggested that some small and medium enterprise (SME) partners had withdrawn because of late reimbursements.

Read also: Dozens of small businesses fall victim to scam linked to free meals program

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BGN head Dadan Hindayana, however, was quick to deny the claims. 

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