Jakarta, Oct. 3 -- Chairman of the National Economic Council (DEN) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan stated that the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program should not be halted despite recent cases of mass food poisoning in several regions.

His remarks came in response to a call by the Indonesian Economists Alliance (AEI), which urged the government to temporarily suspend the MBG program, citing its large budget allocation and the fact that more than 5,000 students had suffered from food poisoning.

Speaking at a press conference on Friday following a meeting with National Nutrition Agency (BGN) Head Dadan Hindayana in Jakarta, Pandjaitan said the government has already conducted a comprehensive evaluation to improve the program's implementation.

"Wh...