Indonesia's Prabowo fires head of free meals scheme plagued by poisonings 03.06.2026

Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has dismissed Dadan Hindayana, the head of the National Nutrition Agency, due to widespread food poisonings and corruption allegations plaguing his flagship free school meals program. Launched in January 2023 as a key campaign promise, the multi-billion-dollar initiative aims to feed 80 million children but has resulted in tens of thousands of illnesses. Hindayana's sacking follows a complaint from the corruption watchdog regarding budget inconsistencies. The program's significant cost and scaling back due to geopolitical events have also drawn criticism. Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, a former journalist and campaign team member, has replaced Hindayana, though some view this as a superficial change lacking necessary systemic reform.















