Indonesia’s free meals programme plagued by alleged corruption and waste | Business and Economy News
Indonesia’s Free Meals Program Faces Corruption Scandal
JAKARTA, Indonesia — A signature initiative of Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, the “Free Nutritious Meals” program, has become embroiled in one of the nation’s largest corruption scandals in recent years amid accusations of graft and mismanagement. The program, launched in 2025 with a $15 billion budget, was designed to combat child stunting, enhance focus in schools, and stimulate the local economy.
Despite significant progress in reducing child stunting rates—nearly halving the prevalence to around 20 percent over the last decade—many regions, especially in eastern Indonesia and the outer islands, continue to struggle with high rates.
The program has established almost 28,000 kitchens across the country, providing up to 3,000 meals daily to schools and communities. However, critics argue that its sheer scale makes it unwieldy and ineffective, compounded by reported cases of food poisoning.
Global attention intensified following the June arrest of the head of Indonesia’s National Nutrition Agency and two deputies for alleged procurement fraud involving $56 million. Investigations have expanded to include several others, including military and police personnel.
In May, the government reduced this year’s budget for the initiative from $18.4 billion to $14.7 billion, following President Prabowo’s directive to enhance fiscal efficiency. Critics, including Ronny Sasmita from the Indonesia Strategic and Economic Action Institution, argue that the current budget, even in its reduced form, is unsustainable and initiated with reallocations from health and education funds, which creates further opportunities for corruption.
Sasmita called the alleged corruption within the program a significant governance issue, noting the scale of the budget and its extensive implementation across various regions could lead to numerous points of financial leakages.
Kitchens within the program, funded by the government, are operated by a network of foundations rather than traditional school canteens. Some foundations reportedly have links to law enforcement and the military, raising additional concerns about oversight. Kitchen operators are incentivized with daily fees described as “tokens of appreciation” from the government.
At least 18,000 kitchens are situated on Java, Indonesia’s most populous island, while only about 270 have been established in Papua, an area that faces severe stunting challenges. Critically, the program has been criticized for extending its services to children of all ages rather than focusing on those most at risk, such as pregnant women and toddlers. Government data shows that from January to September 2025, only 5 percent of recipients fell into these high-risk categories.
Locally, reports indicate that the program has been marred by 33,000 cases of food poisoning as of April 2026. Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan acknowledged the presence of approximately 7,000 surplus kitchens, which have incurred substantial monthly incentive costs. He also suggested that permits for these facilities may have been improperly traded.
According to experts like Vid Adrison from the University of Indonesia, using existing infrastructure—such as school canteens—might offer a more cost-effective approach to feeding children.
In light of ongoing criticism, the National Nutrition Agency announced plans to focus on mothers and toddlers in underdeveloped areas, known as the “3T Regions”. Additional budget cuts of up to $2.2 billion may soon be implemented as part of the initiative’s restructuring.
Despite the scrutiny, President Prabowo has defended the program’s necessity, stating, “Ask the farmers and fishermen. Ask the children. Is [the program] necessary or not?” He reiterated the urgency of addressing hunger, asserting, “If a hungry person’s stomach is not filled immediately, then they will die.”