Cooperative Minister Says Pickup Truck Import Not Under Ministry's Authority

The Minister of Cooperatives, Ferry Juliantono, stated that the import of 105,000 vehicles from India is not within the purview of the Ministry of Cooperatives. However, according to his knowledge, the procurement of pickup trucks for the Merah Putih Cooperative has been postponed.

“This is not within the authority of the Ministry of Cooperatives, so it has been decided to postpone it until President Prabowo arrives,” said Ferry when met at the Bank Mega Tower, Jakarta, on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

Previously, the import of completely built-up vehicles was carried out by PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, which was given the mandate to develop the Merah Putih Village Cooperative and its supporting facilities. The state-owned enterprise ordered 35,000 units of the Mahindra Scorpio Pik Up and 70,000 units of Tata Motors trucks, with a total budget of IDR 24.66 trillion.

The Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives, Sufmi Dasco Ahmad, requested that the government suspend the plan to import the pickup trucks. He believes that the plan needs to be further reviewed with President Prabowo Subianto, who is currently visiting the United States and the United Kingdom. “Of course, the President will also seek input and calculate the readiness of domestic companies,” said Dasco at the DPR Complex, Jakarta, on Monday, February 23, 2026.

Dasco recommended that the technical matters regarding the plan to import pickup trucks from India be discussed comprehensively with the president. He is confident that the president will discuss the plan to import vehicles while considering the condition of the domestic automotive industry.

The Director of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota, said that he would comply with the policies made by the DPR and the government. “We will always be obedient, loyal, and dedicated to the country and the people,” said Joao in Jakarta on Monday, February 23, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The import of 105,000 vehicles from India has drawn criticism from business circles. Automotive manufacturers that have invested in Indonesia are considered ready to produce vehicles for the needs of the Merah Putih Cooperative.

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