Vice presidential candidate Gibran Rakabuming Raka has apologized for mistakenly saying that pregnant women require sulfuric acid, rather than folic acid, to help prevent stunting in their children.

“Folic acid. I apologize. Please correct [my statement],” he said at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta after playing badminton, as quoted by cnnindonesia.com on Monday.

Gibran also said he was grateful to have been corrected and that he was not concerned that his mistake could affect public trust in him as a candidate.

Tempo.co reported on Tuesday that Gibran had made the error during a discussion on the creative economy on Sunday. A video clip of the gaffe was uploaded on the platform X, previously known as Twitter, and quickly went viral.  

Gibran was clarifying the details of a public milk distribution program that he and presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto had been carrying out on the campaign trail.

Gibran, who is still serving as mayor of Surakarta, said the milk the candidates were distributing was only for children aged 2 and above, in response to criticism that recipients might think it was intended for infants.

“Stay focused on breast milk and breast milk substitutes. [Children] aged two and below should be given breast milk.”

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