President Orders Military Chief to Aid National Waste Management

President Prabowo Subianto has instructed the Indonesian Military (TNI), the National Police, all ministries, and regional heads to directly intervene in solving the country’s waste problem. The directive was issued after the President inspected a waste processing facility at an Air Force base in Malang, East Java, on Friday (17/7/2026). Accompanied by TNI Commander General Agus Subiyanto, the President reviewed the Motah (Mesin Olah Sampah) incinerator, a domestically produced machine that operates without fuel or electricity and can process up to one tonne of waste per hour. The resulting ash can be recycled into construction materials such as paving blocks. General Subiyanto stated that the President has declared a ‘war on waste’ and ordered all TNI personnel to actively participate in national waste management by strengthening physical cleanliness movements and utilising innovative, environmentally friendly technology. The Motah system has been deployed in 64 districts and cities with integrated processing facilities capable of handling up to 100 tonnes, supporting upstream-to-downstream waste management and reducing reliance on landfills. The technology burns both wet and dry waste at temperatures reaching 1,000 degrees Celsius, with organic residue processed into planting media, and has passed emission tests aligned with Ministry of Environment standards.