Antara, Jakarta – The free nutritious meals program cannot be discontinued because it constitutes a political commitment made by President Prabowo Subianto during his successful presidential campaign, a government spokesperson said on Wednesday.
The program is one of the most ambitious social welfare initiatives launched under Prabowo's administration and is intended to improve nutrition among schoolchildren, pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, and preschool-aged children across Indonesia.
Muhammad Qodari, head of the Presidential Communications Office, said Prabowo's election victory reflected public support for the policies he proposed, including the nationwide free meals initiative that has become one of the administration's flagship programs.
"The free nutritious meals program cannot simply be stopped because it is part of Mr. Prabowo's vision and political mandate," Qodari told reporters in Jakarta. "He was elected president based on his policy platform, and therefore the program cannot be discontinued."
According to Qodari, the initiative was designed to address persistent nutritional challenges among Indonesian children, including malnutrition and developmental issues that could affect future generations if left unresolved.
While acknowledging that the program has faced implementation challenges, he argued that such problems should not be used as justification for ending a policy that is intended to deliver broad public benefits.
"The government remains open to discussion and welcomes input to improve implementation," Qodari said. "It would be a serious mistake to demand that President Prabowo terminate a program that was one of his campaign promises."
His remarks came after the National Commission on Human Rights reported "strong indications" of human rights violations linked to the program. The commission cited cases involving the mass food poisoning of tens of thousands of students across 36 provinces who received meals supplied through the state-funded initiative, along with a range of other concerns regarding implementation and oversight.
The controversy has intensified in recent weeks.
Earlier this month, Prabowo dismissed National Nutrition Agency head Dadan Hindayana and two deputies responsible for overseeing the program. Shortly afterward, the Attorney General's Office detained the three former officials as suspects in a corruption investigation.
Nanik Deyang, formerly a deputy head of the agency, was appointed to lead the institution. However, critics have questioned the appointment, citing her past association with misinformation controversies during previous presidential election campaigns as well as her role within the management team that preceded the corruption investigation.
The National Nutrition Agency has also faced growing criticism from vendors involved in the program, many of whom have staged protests in recent weeks over alleged unpaid obligations.