Jakarta. The Indonesian government is investigating an academic paper linking President Prabowo Subianto's flagship free nutritious meals program to the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize after a preliminary inquiry found that several people were allegedly listed as co-authors without their knowledge or consent.

The paper lists Prabowo and several Indonesian officials as co-authors, along with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto said on Monday that an investigative team formed last week had found indications that the lead author used the names of several purported co-authors and researchers without authorization.

Local media have identified the lead author as Dian Damayanti.

The 69-page paper is titled "Nobel Peace Prize 2026 Free Meal Program by the National Nutrition Agency; Building Smart Business for Food Security Industry and Indonesia's Economic Growth."

"This morning, I received a report from the investigative team that the lead author had indeed used the names of several co-authors and researchers without their permission," Brian told reporters in Jakarta.

"Those whose names appear in the book, repository and journal have acknowledged that their names were included without authorization," he added.

Brian said the individuals listed in the paper were not involved in its preparation and that most were unaware their names had been included.

"What is certain is that the person concerned has admitted it. Almost all of the names listed there did not know about it, let alone give their consent," he said.

The ministry's investigation also raised questions about the academic credentials used by the lead author, who had presented herself with the titles of professor and doctor.

"It turns out she has not obtained those titles," Brian said.

He said the ministry would examine the full extent of the alleged violations before determining further action under applicable procedures.

The government has separately denied any involvement in producing the paper.

On Aug. 6, presidential communications adviser Hasan Nasbi said the 69-page document was not produced by the government. The Home Affairs Ministry has also denied involvement despite one of its officials being listed among the purported authors.

Prabowo's free nutritious meals program is one of the centerpiece policies of his administration. He campaigned on the initiative as a way to combat malnutrition and stunting among children and improve nutrition for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

The program has expanded rapidly since its launch and consumed about Rp 100 trillion ($5.6 billion) in state spending during the first half of 2026 alone.

The government has not said that the paper represents an official nomination of Prabowo, the free meals program, or any of its purported authors for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize.

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