Prabowo Criticises Governor's Rp8 Billion Official Vehicle: My Maung is Rp700 Million

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, has highlighted the use of budgets at the regional level, which he deems not fully productive. Prabowo even alluded to plans for purchasing official vehicles for regional heads at a staggering value of Rp8 billion.

Prabowo stated that there are still many basic needs of the community that have not been met, such as the construction of village bridges, yet regional budgets are being used for non-priority matters.

“Many expenses that should be carried out by districts and provinces are not implemented. For example, earlier the bridges, village bridges, the people have to shout, the president has to intervene. Sorry, there is village funding, where has the money gone? Where is the regent, the governor’s funds? But okay, I’ll take responsibility. So, we must be open, we must be fair,” said Prabowo during a question-and-answer session with journalists in Hambalang, Bogor, in an official statement from Bakom, Thursday (19/3).

Prabowo then assessed that the current regional spending patterns are still not efficient, including in the use of budgets for officials’ facilities. One of them is the purchase of official vehicles for regional heads reaching Rp8 billion.

“Many officials, in my opinion, this is not efficient. You see it yourself. Let’s be open. There is a district, eh regional government buying a governor’s official vehicle for how much? Rp8 billion,” he revealed.

“I am the President of Indonesia. I use the Indonesian-made Maung vehicle. Its price is 700 million. Perhaps because it’s for the president, with bulletproof features, it might become 1 billion. But not up to 8 billion. We will investigate everything, efficiency,” said Prabowo.

The President also emphasised the importance of awareness and responsibility of regional heads in managing public budgets, especially to ensure they are truly used for the people’s interests. He reminded that the main duty of regional heads is to serve the community, not just to spend the budget.

“After that, working visits-working visits, that’s what we ask for. Awareness, sense of responsibility, right? Regent works for your people, governor works for your people, that’s what we ask,” said Prabowo.