Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto has publicly criticised a recent vehicle purchase by the East Kalimantan administration, revealing he uses a domestically-produced car costing significantly less than the controversial Range Rover acquired by the regional government.
The East Kalimantan administration purchased the Range Rover 3.0 Autobiography LWB in November 2025, at a cost of 7.43 billion rupiah (approximately $460,000 USD), according to reports. Prabowo contrasted this expenditure with his own official vehicle, a Maung, manufactured by Pindad, Indonesia’s state-owned defense industry company. He stated his vehicle costs between 700 million and 1 billion rupiah (approximately $43,000 – $61,000 USD), even with bulletproof modifications.
“I am the president of Indonesia. I use a Maung car made in Indonesia,” Prabowo said. “Maybe since it’s for the president, it has bulletproof features, and might be 1 billion rupiah. But it’s nowhere near 8 billion rupiah.”
Prabowo’s comments highlighted concerns about the efficient allocation of public funds, particularly given unmet needs in infrastructure development. He cited the ongoing challenges in funding the construction of village bridges as an example of more pressing expenditures. “Many expenditures that should be carried out by regencies and provinces are not being implemented. Capture bridges, for example – village bridges. People have to protest, and the president has to step in,” he stated. He added, “But fine, I will take responsibility. So we must be transparent, we must be fair.”
The Range Rover purchase, while complying with a 2006 Home Ministry regulation allowing governors two official vehicles – a sedan and an SUV with engine size limits – has drawn wider criticism. Ahmad Irawan, a member of House of Representatives Commission II, has called for a revision of the 2006 regulation to prevent similar incidents.
The East Kalimantan administration has since agreed to return the Range Rover to the dealer, according to Muhammad Faisal, Head of the East Kalimantan Communication and Information Agency. “We have communicated with the dealer, and fortunately it understands our position and has agreed to take the vehicle back,” Faisal said.
The central government implemented budget cuts of 306.69 trillion rupiah in January 2025, including 50.59 trillion rupiah from transfers to regions, a policy that continued into the 2026 state budget. These cuts have forced regional administrations to reduce programmes and tighten spending, according to The Jakarta Post.
The Maung project, aimed at reviving a national car initiative, is slated to begin manufacturing within three years, according to Prabowo. This initiative appears to be gaining momentum as the administration seeks to prioritize domestically-produced goods and responsible spending.
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