President Prabowo Recounts Sleeping in Leaky Maung Vehicle: 'For Nationalism'

President Prabowo Subianto has revealed a unique experience using the Maung tactical vehicle made by state-owned arms manufacturer PT Pindad, recounting how the roof of his official car leaked during a heavy downpour. The President shared the story at the 18th National Conference of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) in Lampung on Wednesday, noting he had overheard his staff comparing the prices of various cars. Prabowo admitted he could no longer participate in such discussions because of his commitment to using the Maung, stating that as head of state he felt obliged to set an example by using a domestically produced vehicle. ‘Like it or not, because I am President, I must set an example. I have to use a car made by Indonesian children,’ he said, acknowledging that as a new product built over the last one or two years, the Maung might not be as refined as a BMW or Mercedes. Prabowo recounted that he often falls asleep in the car, and on one occasion woke up during heavy rain to find water entering the vehicle. ‘I was sleeping in the car, and suddenly because it was raining hard outside—drip, drip—I woke up, and it turned out it was leaking,’ he said. He took the matter lightly, simply asking PT Pindad to make improvements and ‘reduce the leaks’. Prabowo also described driving the vehicle over mountainous terrain, saying it rattled noisily, but he remains proud to use it. ‘For the sake of nationalism, I will keep using this car,’ he affirmed.