The resurfaced footage from a Metro TV news segment has thrust former National Nutrition Agency chief Dadan Hindayana back into the spotlight for all the wrong reasons.
Just as he was ousted from his powerful post and swiftly arrested on June 3rd, on sweeping corruption charges tied to President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free nutritious meals initiative, the clip that has since went viral, captured Dadan during his official visit to promote the "Makan Bergizi Gratis" program at an elementary school cafeteria.
Dadan appears in formal attire repeatedly stroking and touching the ear and hair of a young schoolgirl who is intently eating her meal with her hands while a classmate nearby displays visible shock and discomfort.
Originally aired as part of positive coverage highlighting the rollout of the massive government effort to combat malnutrition the moment has now ignited fierce public outrage across Indonesian social media platforms with netizens labeling the behavior as predatory and utterly inappropriate especially coming from a high ranking official entrusted with a child focused national program.
The National Nutrition Agency (Badan Gizi Nasional, or BGN) is an Indonesian government institution established in 2024 to coordinate and implement national nutrition policies. It is responsible for planning, supervising, and managing programs aimed at improving nutritional outcomes across the country.
One of its primary responsibilities is overseeing the Free Nutritious Meals program, which has become a major component of the government's efforts to improve public health and human capital development.
Free Nutritious Meals (Makan Bergizi Gratis, or MBG) is a nationwide government program that provides nutritious meals to schoolchildren and other eligible groups. The program is intended to address malnutrition, reduce stunting, improve student health and learning outcomes, and support Indonesia's long-term development goals.
It is one of the flagship social programs of President Prabowo's administration and is being implemented through a network of food service and nutrition facilities across Indonesia.
And Dadan Hindayana, an Indonesian academic and entomologist, became the first head of the National Nutrition Agency in 2024.
Before joining the government, he was a professor and researcher at IPB University, specializing in insect ecology and agricultural sciences.
As head of BGN, he was responsible for leading the implementation of the Free Nutritious Meals program and overseeing broader national nutrition initiatives. He became one of the most visible public figures associated with the program due to his role in explaining its objectives, progress, and policies.
Then, he was abruptly dismissed by President Prabowo on Tuesday evening amid growing concerns over mismanagement and quality issues in the meals program before being formally named a corruption suspect and detained the very next day on Wednesday June 3, 2026, by the Attorney General's Office.
Alongside him two former deputy heads Sony Sonjaya who oversaw operational nutrition fulfillment and Lodewyk Pusung responsible for organizational development and institutional relations were also designated as suspects and taken into custody following raids on agency offices.
Prosecutors allege the trio orchestrated a systematic scheme to rig the selection of meal service providers known as SPPG by favoring foundations affiliated with themselves or their associates that failed to meet required standards while unlawfully intervening in procurement processes to inflate costs on essential items.
Among the flagged irregularities investigators highlighted the procurement of more than 21,000 electric motorcycles valued at around $1 trillion rupiah along with marked up contracts for shoes tablets large televisions and even program uniforms all of which deviated from actual field needs and resulted in enormous state financial losses estimated in the trillions of rupiah.
The scandal has compounded existing criticisms of the Makan Bergizi Gratis program which carries a multibillion dollar budget aimed at feeding nearly 90 million schoolchildren and pregnant women daily but has been plagued by reports of substandard food quality and multiple incidents of mass food poisoning among students.
Dadan now finds himself held at the Salemba Detention Center as the probe continues with charges potentially invoking articles related to corruption under the latest criminal code provisions.
The footage, originally recorded by MetroTV during Dadan Hindayana's visit to SDN Kalibaru 01 Pagi, an elementary school in Jakarta, where he was promoting the government's Makan Bergizi Gratis program earlier in 2026., resurfaced just as corruption allegations against him emerged, further intensifying public outrage.
What may previously have been dismissed by some as an awkward or uncomfortable interaction has now become, in the eyes of many Indonesians, a symbol of deeper ethical concerns surrounding the leadership responsible for programs aimed at protecting and supporting children.
Across social media, users have called for greater scrutiny of the incident, with some arguing that the repeated physical contact shown in the footage warrants examination under child protection standards. They contend that such behavior toward a minor in a public setting, captured on national television, should never be normalized regardless of the official's status or the charitable nature of the program being promoted.
Critics have described the interaction as deeply inappropriate. At 58, Dadan is an government official old enough to be the girl's grandfather. He is seen repeatedly touching and stroking the child's ear and hair while she eats in a crowded cafeteria. Many viewers have characterized the behavior as unsettling, arguing that the child appeared unable to meaningfully consent to or avoid the attention.
The viral clip has also sparked a broader discussion about boundaries between adults and children.
Many have emphasized that unwanted physical contact should not be excused simply because it occurs in a casual, public, or official setting. The debate has expanded beyond the individual incident and prompted wider conversations about how public officials should conduct themselves when interacting with minors.
Adding to the controversy is the perceived irony highlighted by online commentators.
While authorities investigate allegations that officials may have undermined the integrity of the meals program through corruption, the same individuals are now facing criticism over their personal conduct toward the very children the initiative was designed to serve. For many observers, the dual controversies have reinforced demands for greater accountability and transparency.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General's Office continues its investigation, gathering evidence through reviews of procurement documents, financial records, and witness testimony. The case has drawn attention to broader vulnerabilities in the implementation of large-scale public programs. Critics argue that ambitious national objectives can be compromised by allegations of misconduct, self-enrichment, and weak oversight.
Although Dadan Hindayana and the other suspects have not issued public statements following their detention, the combination of the corruption investigation and the renewed focus on the viral video has fueled widespread public anger. Online discussions continue to reflect calls for swift accountability, with many arguing that public trust can only be restored through a thorough and transparent examination of both matters.
The episode ultimately illustrates how rapidly public perception can shift when allegations of official misconduct intersect with imagery that touches on deeply held societal concerns, particularly those involving the welfare and protection of children.