Indonesia has permanently closed 833 kitchens operating under President Prabowo Subianto's free meal program after uncovering quality violations and failures to meet government standards, officials said on Monday.
The National Nutrition Agency confirmed that it had halted payments to the affected kitchens and dismissed 261 workers over various offences, including allegations of embezzling funds allocated to the scheme.
Agency chief Sudaryono, who took office last week, said the measures are part of efforts to strengthen oversight and improve management of the flagship program.
The initiative, launched in January 2025 as a key election pledge by President Prabowo, has faced scrutiny over its cost and concerns that it could widen Indonesia's fiscal deficit.
Recent leadership changes at the agency followed the arrest of its former head on corruption charges and the resignation of his successor for health reasons.
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