Indonesia's Free Meals Program in Crisis | San Francisco News

Indonesia’s flagship free meals program for kids and pregnant women is in turmoil again, with its top official, Nanik S. Deyang, stepping down just 45 days into her term—citing health reasons and a need for heart treatment overseas. The program, a key pledge by President Prabowo Subianto to fight malnutrition, has faced mounting criticism over soaring costs, health risks from the food, and corruption allegations. Deyang took over after her predecessor was ousted over suspected corruption tied to the program. During her brief tenure, the budget was slashed from 268 trillion rupiah (about $15 billion) to 229 trillion rupiah ($12 billion), as officials scramble to improve distribution and ensure meals reach the right people. With leadership changes and ongoing scandals, the program’s future remains uncertain. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ab76ec1fa2709cfb