TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Economist Alliance (AEI) has called on the government to temporarily pause the free nutritious meal program (MBG) following recent mass poisoning incidents. Despite these concerns, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto reaffirmed that the program will continue as planned. Earlier that day, Airlangga met with 10 representatives from the AEI to discuss the MBG program. According to the Center for Indonesia’s Strategic Development Initiatives (Cisdi), as of September 19, 2025, more than 5,000 students have reportedly suffered from food poisoning after consuming MBG meals. Editor’s Choice: Indonesia Rights Body Probes Human Rights Concerns in MBG Food PoisoningsClick here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News