JAKARTA (AFP): Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto acknowledged on Saturday that the government's programme to provide free meals to combat malnutrition, his signature project, "comes with many problems".
Thousands of people have fallen ill since the much-hyped billion-dollar scheme was launched in January 2025, with critics calling for its suspension over hygiene concerns and accusations of corruption.
"It's true that there are many problems and challenges. Free nutritious meals comes with many problems; we must put things in order," Prabowo said in a speech in East Java posted to his official YouTube channel on Saturday.
The scheme, which is said to have provided meals to more than 61 million people by March, was also among the first to be cut back as Jakarta seeks to counter the economic impact of the Middle East war.
Indonesia cut the programme from six days a week to five in March to save up to 40 trillion rupiah ($2.3 billion).
Prabowo said that the scheme still has public support despite the list of problems.
"Free nutritious meals are so important for our nation. Everywhere I go, I meet ordinary people, farmers, saying, 'sir, please don't stop the free nutritious meals programme, this really helps my grandchildren to be able to eat'," he said.
The scheme was Prabowo's flagship policy in the 2024 presidential election campaign.
Anti-graft watchdog Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) filed a complaint last week against Dadan Hindayana, the head of the National Nutrition Agency tasked with distributing the free meals, local media reported.
ICW claimed in its submission to the Corruption Eradication Commission that there were discrepancies of nearly $50 million in the halal certification procurement budget.
Prabowo said he would take swift action against anyone "who violates the rules".
"My government has no hesitation: anyone who violates the rules, who strays, who abuses their authority, will be disciplined, we will clean them up, we will remove them from their position," he said.
More than 20 percent of children in Indonesia are affected by stunting caused by severe malnutrition.
The government hoped the scheme would provide meals for at least 82.9 million people, or about one-third of the country's population, in its bid to combat food insecurity. -- AFP
