431 East Java Students Fall Ill After Eating Free Meals
431 students at an East Java boarding school reportedly experienced suspected food poisoning after eating meals from Free Nutritious Meals program.
Three hundred and thirty-one students at Manbaul Hikam Islamic boarding school in Tanggulangin, East Java, fell ill after consuming free meals provided under Indonesia's National Nutritious Meals (MBG) program. The meals were delivered by a local Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) based in Kalitengah, 30 kilometers away from the school.
The MBG meals, consisting of white rice, scrambled eggs, stir-fried green beans, Balinese-style seasoned tempeh, and apples, were delivered to the boarding school around noon on September 1, 2026. Symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea began to manifest among the students by 6 p.m. On September 2, 2026, 431 students had been affected and taken to various hospitals in Sidoarjo, East Java.
K.H. Abdul Wahid Harun, chairman of the Manbaul Hikam Tanggulangin Foundation, explained that the school does not possess its own kitchen unit; instead, it relies on the external Kalitengah SPPG for meal provision. First Sergeant Andik, supervisor of the Kalitengah SPPG, confirmed the incident and provided details about the meal composition.
East Java Regional Deputy Coordinator of the National Nutrition Agency, Teguh Bayu Wibowo, stated that the Kalitengah SPPG has been placed under temporary suspension pending laboratory test results. These results will determine the cause of the suspected food poisoning, with the National Nutrition Agency deciding whether the suspension should be temporary or permanent.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
