Maleo hit by delays

JAKARTA: Indonesia's much-rumored and long-awaited Maleo national car is unlikely to see the light of day before early next year.

Originally, the Industry Mobil Indonesia consortium, which now controls the development of Maleo, Timor and Bakrie vehicles, was hoping to show about 60 prototypes of Maleo next month.

However, delays in funding approval caused by the recent election and the World Trade Organization's investigation into the national car policy have caused a hiccup in time for the Maleo launch.