Former head of Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency (BGN), Dadan Hindayana, pictured in 2024, who have since been arrested in June 3 for corruption allegations. (Menpan RB)
Dadan Hindayana, the former head of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto’s national free meal flagship programme, was arrested and detained by the Indonesian Attorney General’s Office (AGO) on Wednesday, June 3, alongside his two deputies, Sony Sonjaya and Lodewyk Pusung.
The three were named suspects in a sweeping corruption investigation involving misappropriated Nutrition Service Fulfillment Units (SPPG) incentives and the fictitious procurement schemes under the National Nutrition Agency (BGN).
Previously, investigators from the AGO forcibly arrested the three suspects at their respective residences on the same day. The three were then transported to the AGO headquarters for further interrogation.
Investigators confirmed that these suspects orchestrated fictitious purchases and budget mark-ups, including the procurement of 21,801 electric motorcycles, 32,000 pairs of shoes, 31,994 tablets and 5,400 substandard televisions, which have caused significant budget overruns. Moreover, the AGO further alleged that the suspects included their private foundations so that their own foundations pass verification, reaping billions of rupiah in profits per day from program incentives.
Syarief Sulaeman Nahdi, the Director of Investigators within the Junior Attorney General for Extraordinary Crimes (Jampidsus), stated, “These foundations receive incentives of billions of rupiah every day and trillions of rupiah every year”, noting they are owned by the three suspects. He further stated that the three suspects allegedly embezzled SPPG’s incentives amounting to 6 million rupiah per day into their own pockets.
Dadan’s arrest came to the fore after his removal from office by the Indonesian president on June 2. He was replaced by Naniek Sudaryati Deyang, a former deputy of BGN.
As a result of this case, Prabowo Subianto summoned operators of his free meal programme nationwide, emphasising integrity and accountability in implementing the Free Nutritious Meal Program (MBG). He warned against misuse of public trust, recalling his late father’s advice, “If you are in doubt, always side with your people.” Prabowo declared, “I do not want the people’s money stolen. No exceptions,” urging strict supervision and clear intention to ensure the program’s success.
The programme, intended to feed millions of students nationwide, has already faced multiple criticisms over the mass food poisoning and political exploitation. As a critical cornerstone of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration that requires a staggering budget of 268 trillion Indonesian rupiah (14.8 billion US dollar), these corruption scandals reflect systemic defects in monitoring and prevention systems—raising serious questions about accountability and governance in one of the administration’s most ambitious social initiatives.
Moreover, as the investigation goes deeper, this case may further erode public trust and turn policies intended to improve public well-being into what critics describe as a political feast among elites.
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