No Comprehensive Evaluation Yet, MBG Program in Empat Lawang Still Halted

The implementation of the Free Nutritious Meal program, or MBG, in Empat Lawang Regency, South Sumatra, has not been permitted to continue because a comprehensive evaluation of the case at State Elementary School 7 Tebing Tinggi has not yet been conducted. Without an evaluation, the police are concerned that similar incidents may recur.

The Head of the Empat Lawang Police Resort, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Abdul Aziz Septiadi, when contacted from Palembang, South Sumatra, emphasized that as of Thursday (20/2/2025) yesterday, his party was still requesting the temporary suspension of the MBG program in Empat Lawang.

This means that the MBG program there has been suspended for two days, following an incident where eight students from SD Negeri 7 Tebing Tinggi, Empat Lawang Regency, experienced stomach pain and vomiting after consuming an MBG menu suspected to be spoiled and infested with maggots on Tuesday (18/2/2025).

The suspension was carried out due to the lack of decisiveness from the organizers of MBG in Empat Lawang, namely the Nutrition Fulfillment Service Unit (SPPG) of Empat Lawang, to conduct a comprehensive evaluation following the incident.

"Up to this day, we request that MBG not be continued for the time being. We are temporarily prohibiting it until SPPG conducts a comprehensive evaluation, which needs to start with the vendors or food service providers they have appointed," said Aziz.

According to Aziz, the termination does not mean that his party does not support MBG. On the contrary, because they strongly support MBG, they want the implementation of the program to run better and to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

On that basis, SPPG Empat Lawang must conduct a comprehensive evaluation so that MBG runs more smoothly and safely. SPPG Empat Lawang is also asked to take a firm stance if there is something wrong that could disrupt the program.

"SPPG Empat Lawang must immediately conduct an internal evaluation and convey the results to the Muspida (Regional Leadership Council) Empat Lawang and the community. If there are indeed those who do not meet the requirements, they must take firm steps, such as terminating the vendor's contract because there are already facts about victims. I have met the victims and they did complain of stomach aches and vomiting after eating the MBG menu on the second day," said Aziz.

Aziz said, SPPG Empat Lawang is also expected to immediately provide an official statement to the public. The goal is to provide clarity and calm the public. Otherwise, the public could be traumatized when MBG starts again.

"Yesterday's incident was no joke because the victims were children. If the Empat Lawang SPPG does not provide information to the public, it could be that later, the public will be traumatized by MBG. It could be that children are resistant or no longer want to eat MBG menus or parents forbid their children from consuming MBG menus," said Aziz.

Regarding the development of the case, Aziz said that his party is still examining witnesses. So far, five people have been questioned. This Thursday, they plan to call the supplier. "This case is still in the investigation development stage. So, the results cannot be revealed yet," he said.

On the other hand, his party is still waiting for the results of the laboratory test of the MBG menu sample on the second day that has been received by the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BBPOM) in Palembang, Wednesday (2/19/2025) morning. The police want the results of the laboratory test to be released immediately, but the BBPOM in Palembang has its own stages that cannot be intervened. "Reportedly, the results of the laboratory test will be out by next week at the latest," he said.

According to Aziz, the results of the laboratory tests are very important to answer the cause of the eight students of SDN 7 Tebing Tinggi having stomach aches and vomiting. Currently, the police still suspect that the incident was triggered by the MBG menu that was served stale and had worms.

"From the results of the investigation in the field, we obtained information that the children had stomach aches and vomited after eating the MBG menu which was suspected to be stale and had worms. However, that is still an assumption even though we can see it with the naked eye. The reason is, we do not have the authority to explain whether the menu is fit for consumption or not. What can provide that explanation is the results of laboratory tests," explained Aziz.

The case of the MBG menu in Empat Lawang which was allegedly stale and full of worms first surfaced on several social media accounts based in Empat Lawang and South Sumatra, Tuesday. One of them was reported by the Instagram account empatlawangterkini.

In the uploaded video, the recorder shows that there are a number of caterpillars or maggots attached to the food container and attached to some parts of the side dishes provided. The findings are suspected not only at SDN 7 Tebing Tinggi, but also at SDN 8 Tebing Tinggi.

"Got a video from one of my followers. There are caterpillars/maggots in the Free Nutritious Meal Packages (MBG) at SDN 8 Tebing Tinggi and SDN 7 Tebing Tinggi (you can see it in the video). Hmm... What do you think?" wrote the Instagram account empatlawangterkini, Tuesday.

We have asked vendors not to convey opinions to the public as if the facts and data are slander before the results of the investigation are complete.

Aziz confirmed that apart from SD Negeri 7 Tebing Tinggi, the MBG menu which was suspected to be stale and wormy was also found at SD Negeri 8 Tebing Tinggi. The reason is, the two schools are in the same complex so the MBG menu is received at the same time.

When the incident occurred, eight students of State Elementary School 7 Tebing Tinggi had already eaten the menu. Within a short time after consuming the menu, the eight students complained of stomach aches and vomiting. They were immediately rushed to the nearest health center. Seven students only underwent outpatient treatment, while one student had to undergo inpatient treatment for a day.

Other students at SD Negeri 7 and SD Negeri 8 did not have time to eat the menu so they did not become victims. Some students did not eat because one of their friends had a stomach ache and was vomiting. Some other students did not want to eat the menu because they had seen the condition of the menu which was suspected to be stale and full of worms.

So far, reports of the MBG menu being allegedly stale and wormy have only been found at SD Negeri 7 and SD Negeri 8. "These are the facts and data that we found. The fact is that there were students who had stomach aches and vomited after eating the MBG menu which was thought to be stale and wormy. The data is that there were eight students who became victims. "We have asked vendors not to convey opinions to the public as if the facts and data are slanderous before the results of the examination are complete," stressed Aziz.

Based on information received by Kompas, the MBG menu in Empat Lawang is provided by the Vieki Indira Foundation. The foundation is under the auspices or coordination of the Indonesian Catering Service Providers Association (PPJI) of South Sumatra.

After not answering Kompas' questions on Wednesday (2/19/2025), the Head of the South Sumatra PPJI DPD, Evie Hadenli, finally provided a statement via Whatsapp message on Thursday morning. She stated that the menu provider had implemented standard operating procedures (SOP).

The second day's MBG menu consisted of white rice, crispy catfish fillet, pergedel tofu (previously called fried tofu), fried vermicelli and papaya. If you look at the menu, he believes it is safe or does not have the potential to become stale and wormy.

"Judging from the menu, God willing it is safe from going stale, let alone worms," he wrote.

Regarding the video of worms in the food container and some parts of the menu, Evie denied it. According to her, all the worms were on top of the food container. She also showed a video of a sample of the MBG menu on the second day that had been confiscated by the police.

After the menu samples were brought back to the kitchen on Wednesday night, there were no worms stuck to the menu, such as fish, tofu cakes, and papaya. "There are no worms (on the menu) that has been there for two days and a night from the police station," said Evie.

Evie also argued that the incident probably happened because there was an element of intent. When asked who was suspected of carrying out the element of intent and whether Evie or her party would report it to the police, Evie was unwilling to answer.

Evie just emphasized that there was no need to retaliate against the act. "Why should we retaliate? Just let them be, if they want to take all the kitchens (food service providers). We got the last share, it's okay, just relax," she said.