Jakarta (VNA) – Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto on June 2 decided to remove Dadan Hindayana as head of the National Nutrition Agency, or BGN, which oversees the country’s free nutritious meals programme at a school in Jakarta, following a series of food poisoning incidents and allegations related to budget management.
The move came as the Indonesian Government conducts a comprehensive review of the programme, particularly its food quality standards and implementation effectiveness.
President Prabowo appointed longtime ally Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, who previously served as deputy head of the agency, to replace Dadan.
The Indonesian government affirmed that the programme will continue operating during the review and restructuring process. President Prabowo has previously pledged to take strict action against any wrongdoing uncovered during investigations.
A flagship pledge of Prabowo’s 2024 presidential campaign, the multi-billion-dollar programme aims to improve nutrition among schoolchildren, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers. Data show that by March this year, the initiative had provided meals to more than 61 million beneficiaries.
However, implementation has been marred by repeated setbacks, with thousands of food poisoning cases reported since the programme began. Speaking before Indonesia’s parliament, Dadan acknowledged that at least 11,000 cases of food poisoning had been linked to the programme, including more than 600 people who required hospital treatment.
The incidents have triggered growing criticism from the public and civil society groups.
The free meal initiative forms part of Indonesia’s broader effort to tackle chronic malnutrition, with more than 20% of children in the country still affected by stunting caused by inadequate nutrition. Jakarta’s long-term goal is to provide meals to around 82.9 million children, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, equivalent to more than 30% of the national population.
The programme is also facing pressure from budget constraints amid global economic uncertainties and the impact of the ongoing crisis in the Middle East./.
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