Prabowo Puzzled Why Indonesia Lacks Homegrown Motorcycle and Car Manufacturing

President Prabowo Subianto has questioned why Indonesia does not yet have its own national motorcycle and car factories, despite the country nearing 81 years of independence. He highlighted that the nation purchases around 10 million motorcycles each year, yet this has not been accompanied by the establishment of Indonesian-owned manufacturing plants. Speaking at the 2026 National Science, Technology, and Industry Convention (KSTI) at the Jakarta Convention Centre in Central Jakarta on Friday (26 June), Prabowo said, ‘Why don’t we have one? We buy cars, we buy 10 million motorcycles every year. Why is there no Indonesian factory?’ The president revealed that this question is part of his broader unease regarding national industrial self-sufficiency. He recounted how he has long visited universities and engaged in discussions with academics to seek answers as to why Indonesia remains dependent on other countries in several strategic sectors. He noted that he had sought views from Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Brian Yuliarto, President Director of PT Pindad Sigit P Santosa, and professors from the Bogor Agricultural University (IPB). In those discussions, Prabowo questioned why Indonesia cannot produce its own wheat seeds and must import wheat, and why palm oil productivity per hectare lags behind Malaysia. ‘I asked the IPB professors, why can’t we have our own wheat seeds? Why must we import wheat? I asked why Malaysia’s palm oil productivity per hectare is higher than ours? Why?’ he said. He expressed astonishment that Indonesia, after decades of independence, is still not fully self-reliant in building its national industry. ‘I always ask them, why after 81 years can Indonesia not make its own car?’ he said. Nevertheless, the head of state believes Indonesia is beginning to move towards automotive industrial independence. He expressed personal satisfaction that after his inauguration, he was able to use the Maung MV3 Garuda Limousine, a presidential vehicle produced by PT Pindad that was designed and assembled in Indonesia. Prabowo acknowledged that the Maung MV3 Garuda Limousine does not yet use entirely local components. However, he argued that no car in the world is made entirely from components sourced from a single country. Therefore, he said, a local content level of around 65 to 70 percent is sufficient to claim it as an Indonesian-made vehicle. ‘When I returned from the inauguration, I could ride in an Indonesian-made car. It was designed in Indonesia, made in Indonesia, though not 100 percent—and no car in the world is 100 percent the product of one country. But if it’s 65 to 70 percent, we can already claim it’s made in Indonesia,’ he stated. Prabowo said the consequence of his commitment to domestic products is that he must use an Indonesian-made car throughout his presidency. He recounted that the vehicle experienced a leak during heavy rain in the early months of its use. ‘The risk is that as long as I am president, I have to ride in an Indonesian-made car. In the first few months, it was fine, except when it rained heavily. When it rained heavily, it did leak a bit,’ he said. He then asked Pindad President Director Sigit to fix the shortcoming. According to Prabowo, such issues are part of the national product development process and should not be a reason to stop building domestic industry. ‘But I returned it and said, “Professor Sigit, how come the presidential car is leaking? Fix it.” That is fine. At least we have started, we must dare to start,’ he said.