The Controversies of Dadan Hindayana During His Tenure as Head of the National Nutrition Agency
President Prabowo Subianto removed Dadan Hindayana from his position as Head of the National Nutrition Agency (BGN) on Tuesday, 2 June 2026. The position has now been taken over by Nanik Sudaryati Deyang, who previously served as Dadan’s Deputy Head of the BGN.
Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi stated that the removal was decided after the President monitored his performance in implementing the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) programme for approximately one and a half years. “Therefore, today, Tuesday, 2 June 2026, the President has made the decision to change the leadership of the BGN,” Prasetyo said at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.
During his tenure, Dadan was frequently scrutinised due to controversial policies and statements deemed erroneous. Various issues occurred under his leadership, ranging from mass food poisoning incidents to wasteful procurement budgets.
Below are several of Dadan’s controversies during his term as Head of the B/GN:
Drinking Two Litres of Milk Per Day
During the early stages of the MBG programme, Dadan was criticised for his statement regarding drinking two litres of milk per day. This was stated during a visit to the Syaichona Muhammad Cholil Islamic Boarding School in Bangkalan, East Java, on 26 May 2025. Dadan shared that his two sons are required to drink two litres of milk daily, linking this to their heights of 185 cm and 181 cm. Despite heavy criticism, Dadan insisted that his personal experience was not the basis for the MBG programme’s policy.
Proposing Insects and Sago Grubs as Protein Sources
Another controversial statement involved Dadan proposing insects and sago grubs as alternative protein sources for the MBG menu. He suggested that protein sources do not necessarily have to be chicken, eggs, or meat, citing regions where grasshoppers or sago grubs are consumed. This was presented during the National Leadership Meeting of the Indonesian Women’s Grand Party on 25 January 2025.
High Incidence of Food Poisoning
Under Dadan’s leadership, the MBG programme continued to suffer from food poisoning cases despite running for over a year. The Ministry of Health recorded 446 poisoning cases involving a total of 37,693 victims across 220 regencies and cities in 36 provinces as of early May 2026. The peak occurred in September 2025, when 657 students in West Java were poisoned, followed by similar incidents in Central Java, East Nusa Tenggara, and South Kalimantan.
Procurement of 20,000 Motorcycles to Shoe Polish
Procurement of goods and services within the National Nutrition Agency was frequently deemed wasteful and suspicious. Allegations of corruption surfaced due to items being purchased above market prices and suppliers having previous involvement in bribery cases. For instance, the BGN allocated Rp 113.9 billion for event organisers (EO), purchased 21,000 electric motorcycles at Rp 42 million per unit, and procured items such as bath towels and shoe polish brushes totalling billions of rupiah. Dadan defended these, stating the EO was for large-scale events and the other items were for the training needs of the Indonesia Development Driver Scholars (SPPI).
Plan to Distribute MBG to Students in Jeddah
Dadan revealed plans to expand the MBG programme to Indonesian students in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, following a visit to the Indonesian School in Jeddah. This proposal faced significant criticism, as the domestic implementation of the MBG programme is still struggling with food quality, safety, and high budgetary burdens.