Indonesian Free Meals Agency Raided Following Leadership Dismissal

WHO:

AP News - Dadan Hindayana, the recently dismissed head of the National Nutrition Agency, was arrested on corruption charges.

AP News - Two other suspects arrested include Sony Sonjaya, the Deputy Head of the Nutrition Provision Division, and Lodewyk Pusung, the Deputy Head of the Organizational Development and Institutional Relations Division.

ABC News - President Prabowo Subianto fired Dadan Hindayana, the head of the National Nutrition Agency, and replaced him with Nanik S. Deyang, the deputy chief.

ABC News - Minister of the State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi commented on the situation.

WHAT:

AP News - Dadan Hindayana was seen being led out in handcuffs, wearing a detainee red vest and a black shirt, and escorted into a green prison van.

AP News - The three suspects were named as suspects “in the criminal investigation of corruption related to the management of the Free Nutritious Meal program at the National Nutrition Agency for the 2025–2026 period.”

AP News - Investigators allege that foundations operating in schools were used to facilitate criminal activities and were linked to agency officials and employees.

ABC News - The program has been criticized for leaving tens of thousands of school children ill due to food poisoning incidents.

ABC News - Critics have questioned whether the program is affordable and logistically possible in Indonesia, which has a population of more than 282 million people.

ABC News - The search by the Attorney General’s Office was conducted through the day Wednesday, locking out employees of the National Nutrition Agency.

ABC News - The program has left tens of thousands of school children ill due to food poisoning incidents.

ABC News - The Attorney General’s Office searched the National Nutrition Agency’s offices following the firing of its leader.

ABC News - The free meals program aims to feed nearly 90 million children and pregnant women.

ABC News - The meals program is expected to cost $28 billion through 2029.

ABC News - The program has faced criticism due to high costs and cases of food poisoning among schoolchildren.

WHERE:

ABC News - The search took place at the National Nutrition Agency’s offices in Jakarta, Indonesia.

WHY:

AP News - The Minister of the State Secretariat, Prasetyo Hadi, stated that the three suspects were dismissed for failing to adhere to “standard operating procedure ... implementing governance, including maintaining food quality.”

ABC News - Minister of the State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi emphasized the government's commitment to the free meals program, stating, "Services to the public must not be disrupted in any way."

ABC News - Minister of the State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi stated that issues related to discipline in implementing governance and maintaining food quality were factors in the leadership change.

ABC News - The leadership change was attributed to issues related to discipline in following standard operating procedures and maintaining food quality.

HOW:

ABC News - Mochamad Jeffry, the acting spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office, confirmed that the investigation was ongoing but did not disclose the specific case being investigated.

ABC News - Investigators from the Attorney General’s Office conducted a search of the agency’s office building, locking out its employees.

(UPDATED June 4, 2026 06:37 UTC)

Dadan Hindayana, the recently dismissed head of the National Nutrition Agency, has been arrested on corruption charges, along with two other suspects, Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung, who hold deputy positions within the agency. The three are implicated in a criminal investigation concerning the management of the Free Nutritious Meal program for the 2025–2026 period, with allegations that school foundations were misused for criminal activities linked to agency officials. Minister of the State Secretariat, Prasetyo Hadi, emphasized that the suspects were dismissed for not following standard operating procedures related to governance and food quality.

(UPDATED June 3, 2026 23:30 UTC)

The free meals program in Indonesia is facing significant criticism, with reports indicating that tens of thousands of school children have suffered from food poisoning incidents. Critics are raising concerns about the program's affordability and its logistical feasibility in a country with a population exceeding 282 million people. However, Minister of the State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi has reaffirmed the government's dedication to the initiative, insisting that "services to the public must not be disrupted in any way."

(UPDATED June 3, 2026 16:31 UTC)

The Attorney General’s Office conducted a search on Wednesday, locking out employees of the National Nutrition Agency amid concerns over food poisoning incidents that have left tens of thousands of school children ill. Minister of the State Secretariat Prasetyo Hadi indicated that issues related to governance discipline and food quality were factors leading to a leadership change. Mochamad Jeffry, the acting spokesperson for the Attorney General’s Office, confirmed that the investigation is ongoing, though he did not reveal the specific case being examined.

(UPDATED June 3, 2026 12:37 UTC)

President Trump has announced a significant leadership change in Indonesia, as President Prabowo Subianto has fired Dadan Hindayana from his position as head of the National Nutrition Agency, replacing him with Nanik S. Deyang. Following this decision, the Attorney General’s Office conducted a search of the agency’s offices in Jakarta, focusing on concerns over discipline and food quality related to a free meals program aimed at nearly 90 million children and pregnant women, which is projected to cost $28 billion through 2029. This program has faced scrutiny due to its high costs and reports of food poisoning among schoolchildren, prompting the investigation into the agency's operations.