Indonesia suspends nearly 2,000 free meal kitchens for breaching sanitation rules

JAKARTA — The Indonesian agency responsible for the country’s free meals programme has temporarily closed nearly 2,000 kitchens for failing to register for hygiene checks, its chief said.Here are some details:The National Nutrition Agency suspended 1,999 kitchens across Indonesia because they did not register with the health ministry to undergo mandatory hygiene and sanitation certifications, agency chief Sudaryono said on Monday.There are currently 27,022 kitchens distributing free meals across Indonesia as of September 7, he added.”The hygiene and sanitation certification is a mandatory requirement for operating kitchens that provide the free meals programme,” said Sudaryono, who goes by only one name.The agency will investigate these kitchens before deciding what further action will be taken, he said, adding that compliance with hygiene and sanitation standards was non-negotiable to ensure food quality and the safety of recipients of free meals.