Golkar Reminds East Kalimantan Governor Over Rp 8.5 Billion Official Vehicle
Golkar party Secretary-General Sarmuji has urged East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas’ud to listen to public concerns regarding the controversy surrounding the purchase of an official vehicle valued at Rp 8.5 billion. According to Sarmuji, Rudy should consider public opinion despite the vehicle’s suitability for East Kalimantan’s challenging terrain and vast geography comparable to Java’s landmass.
“East Kalimantan has difficult terrain with an area as large as Java. But regardless, we must measure this against our people’s circumstances, not by personal standards,” said the House of Representatives Faction Leader in a statement on Friday, 27 February 2026.
Sarmuji stated that Golkar’s Central Leadership Council has communicated with Rudy, a member of the party. He conveyed that Golkar has called on Rudy to better listen to public voices amid government budget reductions.
According to Rudy’s explanation to Sarmuji, the official vehicle for the governor comes from the regional government budget for 2024. However, for this particular vehicle type, a purchase order and advance payment were necessary.
However, Sarmuji claimed that Rudy continues to use his personal vehicle instead of the official car. Sarmuji viewed Rudy’s decision as appropriate. “I should mention that it is better, even though the governor is entitled to an official vehicle. The governor happens to have the means and is willing to use his personal vehicle,” he said.
The procurement of an Rp 8.5 billion official vehicle for the East Kalimantan governor has attracted public scrutiny amid government budget reduction policies. East Kalimantan Regional House of Representatives members have questioned the utility of procuring a hybrid SUV with a 3,000 cc engine for 3.7 million local residents.
East Kalimantan Provincial Secretary Sri Wahyuni claimed the procurement had undergone careful consideration based on operational requirements and effectiveness for the regional head in serving the community.