Former Indonesian school meals chief arrested over corruption allegations

The architect of Indonesia's flagship free school meals programme has been arrested by the country's Attorney General following an investigation into alleged corruption and misappropriation of funds. Dadan Hindayana, former head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN), was taken into custody on Wednesday evening after being dismissed from his position just one day earlier.

The arrest comes amid a broader scandal surrounding President Prabowo Subianto's ambitious feeding initiative, which has already faced significant challenges following widespread food poisoning incidents affecting thousands of schoolchildren across the nation.

High-profile arrests signal corruption crackdown

Hindayana was escorted from the Attorney General Department offices in handcuffs alongside two other senior officials arrested in connection with the investigation. Retired Major General Lodewyk Pusung and Police Brigadier General Sony Sonjaya, both former deputies at the BGN, were also taken into custody.

"The arrest of Dadan Hindayana comes a day after he was sacked as head of the National Nutrition Agency"

All three men face allegations relating to the misuse of government resources and funds allocated to the national school meals programme. The coordinated arrests suggest the Attorney General's office is pursuing a comprehensive investigation into the management of the multi-billion rupiah initiative.

Food poisoning crisis compounds programme challenges

The arrests intensify scrutiny of a programme that has already faced severe reputational damage following health crises in schools nationwide. In recent months, thousands of students have fallen ill after consuming meals prepared under the BGN's supervision, with investigations identifying food safety breaches and contamination issues at multiple distribution points.

The food poisoning incidents have raised serious questions about oversight mechanisms and the adequacy of safety protocols across Indonesia's sprawling school meal network, which operates across the archipelago's vast geography and diverse regions.

Implications for regional education and governance

The scandal has significant implications for Australia and the broader Indo-Pacific region, as it reflects broader governance and accountability challenges within Indonesian public administration. Strong educational and nutritional support programmes are essential for developing economies, and the failure of this flagship initiative demonstrates the risks of inadequate oversight and transparency in large-scale public projects.

• The BGN was responsible for implementing President Prabowo's high-profile school meals rollout
• Multiple health incidents have affected students across numerous provinces
• The arrests target senior leadership within the agency
• Investigations focus on alleged financial misappropriation

The investigation remains ongoing, with authorities expected to pursue additional lines of inquiry into how funds were allocated and spent across the programme's implementation. The outcome of these cases will likely influence how Indonesia approaches large-scale social programmes and the governance structures required to ensure accountability.

This article originally appeared on ABC News (Indonesia correspondent Tim Swanston)