Indonesian authorities have arrested the former head of the National Nutrition Agency, Dadan Hindayana, and two former deputies amid a corruption investigation into President Prabowo Subianto’s flagship Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) program. The arrests follow allegations that officials manipulated the selection of meal distribution center contractors and engaged in procurement markups, according to the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS).
Why China’s involvement in the program is a liability
Beijing has begun aligning itself with the MBG program, moving beyond its traditional focus on industrial parks and nickel processing plants. In April, Counselor Zhen Wangda of the Chinese Embassy participated in the inauguration of a nutrition service center (SPPG) project in Southeast Sulawesi, a partnership involving the Muhammadiyah movement. While the embassy framed this as a contribution to social welfare, CELIOS researchers Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat and Yeta Purnama note that the program has become a “politically toxic” environment. Though there is no evidence of Chinese involvement in the alleged corruption, the association creates a risk of “reputational contagion,” where foreign partners may be blamed for the failures of a domestic policy they do not control.
How the corruption scandal impacts the program
The scandal centers on the SPPG delivery mechanism, which prosecutors claim was compromised by officials who steered contracts toward foundations connected to agency insiders despite those groups failing to meet requirements. This mismanagement coincides with broader concerns regarding the government’s administrative capacity to execute a nationwide rollout. Critics have already raised alarms over food quality, reports of food poisoning, and the speed of implementation. According to CELIOS, the crisis is particularly acute given Indonesia’s current economic vulnerability, which has been marked by a decline in both the national currency and the local stock market.
What may happen next for China-Indonesia relations
Beijing faces a strategic choice in how it maintains its long-term interests in Indonesia. Analysts at CELIOS suggest that rather than branding itself through a single, volatile political initiative, China could pivot toward supporting institutional pillars such as food safety systems, agricultural productivity, and supply-chain modernization. If Beijing chooses to continue its cooperation, it may seek to prioritize transparency by working with independently audited institutions or civil society organizations instead of politically connected intermediaries. As the corruption case against Hindayana and his colleagues proceeds through the court system, the political future of the MBG program remains uncertain, potentially forcing a recalibration of how foreign governments engage with Prabowo’s signature policy experiments.