Rahmat Hidayat – Indonesia's Free Nutritious Meals program has come under renewed public scrutiny after anti-corruption activists called for an audit of 41 nutrition service facilities operated by a foundation linked to the daughter of a regional legislator, following reports surrounding a corruption investigation involving former National Nutrition Agency head Dadan Hindayana.
Public attention has recently focused on the governance and transparency of the government's Free Nutritious Meals program, known locally as Makan Bergizi Gratis (MBG), after reports that prosecutors detained former National Nutrition Agency (BGN) chief Dadan Hindayana on Wednesday, June 3, 2026.
Among the entities drawing attention is Yasika Group Foundation, led by Yasika Aulia Ramadhani, daughter of South Sulawesi Deputy Regional Legislative Council Speaker Yasir Machmud. According to social media posts and activist statements, the foundation operates 41 Nutrition Fulfillment Service Units, known as Satuan Pelayanan Pemenuhan Gizi (SPPG), in South Sulawesi Province.
Anti-corruption activist Sholehudin called on authorities to conduct a comprehensive and independent review of the facilities, including their operational permits and compliance with applicable regulations.
"After the case involving a senior BGN official emerged, all partners managing the program on a large scale should also be audited transparently," Sholehudin said in a statement on Saturday, June 6, 2026.
He argued that a broader examination would help ensure that supply chains and management practices within the national program remain compliant with regulations and free from potential irregularities.
The issue has attracted attention partly because discussions over the ownership structure of SPPG facilities surfaced in 2025. At that time, Dadan Hindayana publicly defended Yasika Group against allegations of monopolizing nutrition service units in South Sulawesi.
Speaking in Jakarta on November 19, 2025, while serving as head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan said facilities built without state budget funding should be viewed as private investment supporting the government's nutrition initiative.
"That is not state money, it is investment. Anyone who is capable of building can do so," Dadan said at the Ministry of National Development Planning.
Questions have also emerged regarding consistency with agency policies reportedly limiting foundations to operating a maximum of 10 nutrition kitchens within a province. Critics have pointed to the larger number of facilities associated with Yasika Group.
Dadan previously rejected concerns over the scale of the operation, arguing that private-sector participation accelerated implementation of the national meals program.
"That is investment, so whoever builds these facilities is greatly helping the National Nutrition Agency because infrastructure can be developed much faster," he said at the time.
As of Sunday, no findings of wrongdoing related to Yasika Group or its facilities had been publicly announced by law enforcement authorities. Calls for audits remain part of broader demands from activists seeking greater transparency and oversight of the government's flagship nutrition initiative.
The Free Nutritious Meals program is one of Indonesia's major social welfare initiatives aimed at improving nutritional outcomes for schoolchildren and vulnerable groups across the country.