Golkar Rebukes East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas'ud Over Rp8.5 Billion Official Vehicle Purchase
Golkar party’s Secretary-General Sarmuji has called on his party colleague, East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas’ud, to pay greater attention to public opinion regarding the planned purchase of an official vehicle worth Rp8.5 billion.
“We have already communicated with the Governor of East Kalimantan. We have asked him to listen more carefully to public voices whilst pursuing efficiency,” said Sarmuji when contacted on Friday (27 February).
According to him, based on Rudy’s explanation, the budget for the official vehicle was approved in 2024. However, the vehicle with the planned specifications must be specially ordered.
“East Kalimantan has challenging terrain with a land area equivalent to the size of Java island. But regardless, we must measure against the conditions of our people, not by personal standards,” he said.
He noted that from their communication, Rudy is currently still using his personal vehicle as an official car.
“I conveyed that it is better this way, even though fundamentally the Governor has the right to have an official vehicle. It so happens that the Governor is able to afford and possesses a personal vehicle,” he said.
Earlier, Rudy stated that the new official vehicle would be used to support the activities of the regional head, particularly given East Kalimantan’s position as a supporting region for the new capital city, making the regional head’s mobility necessary for receiving guests.
“East Kalimantan is the nation’s capital, a miniature Indonesia. Guests are not only regional heads from across Indonesia, but also international visitors. It would be inappropriate for the regional head to use a substandard vehicle. We must maintain East Kalimantan’s dignity,” he said.
Rudy explained that vehicle procurement also follows Interior Ministry Regulation Number 7 of 2006. The regulation specifies that vehicles for regional heads of the sedan type have a maximum capacity of 3,000 cc and jeep types of 4,200 cc.
“The vehicle being procured is only 3,000 cc. On the matter of price, there is appearance, there is quality, there is workmanship. We are not following whatever the price is; we are simply following the specification, in accordance with the Interior Ministry regulation,” he said.