BGN head Dadan Hindayana said the agency was studying the possibility of providing free meals to more than 1,000 students at the Indonesian School in Jeddah (SIJ) after receiving requests from students and school officials.

“They are very well informed about the free meals program in Indonesia and spontaneously expressed a desire to enjoy the same benefits as their peers back home,” Dadan told journalists at King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah on Monday.

He added that the agency would first assess the feasibility of establishing a nutrition fulfillment service unit (SPPG), the kitchens responsible for preparing meals under the program, at the school before submitting its recommendation to President Prabowo.

If approved, the Jeddah pilot would become the first step in a broader overseas expansion, with Dadan saying BGN was also eyeing Indonesian schools in other countries, including Malaysia.

The proposal, however, comes as the program faces mounting scrutiny at home over food safety incidents, operational shortcomings and alleged procurement irregularities.

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