Owner: Here's lunch. A mix of yesterday's rice and raw meat. So as to save money, efficiency! Not tasty huh? That's what's called adulteration.
Cat: Being lied to is even less tasty.
Amid growing anger over President Prabowo Subianto's so called "budget efficiency policy", which mandates US$18.7 billion in cuts to government spending, and revelations that the state-owned oil-and-gas company Pertamina has been adulterating non-subsidised high-grade petrol with cheap low-octane fuel, public trust in Prabowo's flagship free nutritious meals (MBG) program has also been hit by a series of health scares.
Dozens of students in South Sumatra and East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) became ill on February 18 after consuming free school meals – marking the third and fourth food poisoning incidents in less than two months since the program's launch.
Eight students from SD 7 Tebing Tinggi State Elementary School in Empat Lawang regency, South Sumatra, were taken to a healthcare centre after they showed symptoms of food poisoning after consuming free meals. The third and fourth graders reportedly vomited and complained of epigastric pain, stomach discomfort, dizziness and shortness of breath.
Earlier, several videos circulated on social media showing packaged meals served at the school that were infested with maggots. A number of students also reportedly refused to eat the meals due to an unpleasant taste.
On the same day, 29 students at the SD Katolik Andaluri Catholic Elementary School in Sumba Timur regency in NTT suffered food poisoning after eating free lunches. The students reported symptoms of nausea, stomach pain, dizziness and vomiting, having earlier reported that the food did not taste good and seemed to have gone bad.
And in January there were at least two food poisoning incidents linked to the free meals program. In Sukoharjo, Central Java, 40 students from SD Dukuh 03 State Elementary School fell ill after consuming undercooked chicken in lunches provided by a caterer at a local Army base.
Meanwhile, dozens of students and several teachers at a state elementary school in Nunukan, North Kalimantan reportedly suffered from diarrhea after consuming the prepared meals.
