The head of Indonesia’s multi-billion-dollar free meals program, Nanik S. Deyang, has resigned just 45 days after taking office, citing health reasons. Deyang’s resignation follows the dismissal of her predecessor, Dadan Hindayana, who was removed due to corruption allegations.
The program, aimed at combating malnutrition by feeding nearly 90 million children and pregnant women, has faced significant criticisms, including high costs and incidents of food poisoning among schoolchildren. Following Deyang’s brief tenure, the government’s annual budget for the program was reduced from 268 trillion rupiah ($15 billion) to 229 trillion rupiah (around $12 billion).
Deyang expressed her need for heart treatment abroad in her resignation announcement and mentioned that she would continue to assist the agency. The National Nutrition Agency emphasized that its focus remains on improving the program’s distribution management rather than solely cutting the budget.
