• Access to the journalist was restored after revocation caused criticism of press freedom.
• The revocation followed questions regarding a troubled government meal programme.
• Indonesian press council and various organizations condemned the move as an attack on media rights.
• The palace admitted a lack of oversight in the food programme leading to recent health incidents.
• Nearly 6,000 children reportedly fell sick after consuming food from the free meals initiative.

The Indonesian government restored access for CNN Indonesia journalist Diana Valencia on September 29, following an earlier revocation of her press credentials. The revocation occurred after she posed a question to President Prabowo Subianto regarding a government free meal programme facing scrutiny after numerous food poisoning incidents among children. The palace's actions spurred concerns over press freedom, leading to criticisms from the Indonesian press council and various media organizations, which urged for transparency and protection of journalists' rights according to Reuters, South China Morning Post, and Channel News Asia.

The incident unfolded during a press conference held at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Base, where President Prabowo had just returned from an international trip. While addressing the media, València asked whether specific instructions had been issued regarding the free meal initiative, which had been criticized after reports indicated that over 6,000 children suffered illnesses from contaminated food. The palace later stated that such questions were deemed “out-of-context,” leading to her pass being collected by a Bureau officer Reuters, South China Morning Post, and Channel News Asia.