JAKARTA, July 27 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia has permanently closed 833 kitchens participating in President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free nutritious meal program for failing to meet hygiene, sanitation and food quality standards, the National Nutrition Agency said Monday.
Agency chief Sudaryono told a press conference that the kitchens had been given time to address deficiencies identified during inspections, but were shut down permanently after failing to comply within the prescribed period.
"The suspended kitchens were linked to hygiene problems, food poisoning and poor food quality, and failed to meet the standards we require," he said.
The closures involved 98 kitchens in Sumatra, 311 in Java and Madura, and 424 in other parts of the country.
Sudaryono said the permanently closed kitchens would no longer receive government payments, unlike facilities placed under temporary suspension.
He added that beneficiaries would continue to receive meals, with distribution redirected to nearby operational kitchens to prevent disruption to the program.
The free nutritious meal program, one of Prabowo's flagship policies, provides daily meals to schoolchildren and other vulnerable groups across Indonesia. It has faced scrutiny over food safety incidents since its launch. ■
