President Prabowo Recalls Maung's Leaky Roof, Urges Boldness in National Industry

President Prabowo Subianto recounted his experience of riding in the national vehicle Maung, manufactured by PT Pindad (Persero), admitting that the car once leaked during heavy rain. Despite this, he expressed deep satisfaction in using a domestically made product. The remarks were made during the National Science, Technology, and Industry Convention at the Jakarta International Convention Center on Friday, attended by over 2,600 academics from rectors to lecturers. “I have a deep satisfaction in my heart when I was inaugurated. I went home from the inauguration, I could ride in an Indonesian-made car. Designed in Indonesia, made in Indonesia. Not 100 percent, and no car in the world is 100 percent the product of one country. But if it is 65 percent, 70 percent, we can already claim it is made in Indonesia,” Prabowo said. Despite his pride, the head of state noted that using the Maung was not without risk. He recalled an incident where the roof leaked during heavy rain, prompting him to immediately ask PT Pindad’s President Director, Sigit Puji Santosa, to fix the issue. “The risk is that now, as president, I have to ride in an Indonesian-made car. In the first few months, it was decent, except when it rained heavily. When it rained heavily, it leaked a bit. But I returned it, ‘Professor Sigit, how come the presidential car is leaking? Fix it.’ It is okay, at least we have started, we must dare to start,” he said. On the occasion, Prabowo also addressed broader industrial challenges, questioning why Indonesia lacks its own wheat seeds, why Malaysian palm oil productivity per hectare surpasses Indonesia’s, and why the country has not been able to produce its own national car after 81 years of independence.