Samarinda Mayor's Land Rover Defender Lease Sparks Controversy Over 160 Million Rupiah Monthly Cost
The rental vehicle assigned to Samarinda Mayor Andi Harun has drawn criticism for consuming 160 million rupiah monthly from the budget. The vehicle in question is a Land Rover Defender.
“The Defender vehicle has indeed been leased since the 2022 fiscal year. The contract commenced in 2023 and will conclude in 2026,” stated Dilan, Head of the General Section at the Samarinda City Secretariat, when interviewed by journalists on Thursday (12 March 2026), as reported by detikKalimantan.
Dilan explained that the vehicle was procured as a facility to serve VIP guests visiting the riverside city. According to him, the vehicle lease value amounts to approximately 160 million rupiah per month.
“The Defender lease costs around 160 million rupiah monthly, if I am not mistaken,” he stated.
He noted that the Samarinda Mayor occasionally uses both the Land Rover Defender and a Toyota Camry, which is an official vehicle inherited from the previous mayor, Syaharie Jaang.
“For fieldwork activities, he typically uses the Defender, whereas for activities within the city, he uses the Toyota Camry,” he said.
Mayor Requests Inspectorate Review
Samarinda Mayor Andi Harun visited the Samarinda City Inspectorate Office on Dahlia Street, Bugis District, Samarinda City, East Kalimantan, on Friday (13 March 2026). He came to submit a request for a review concerning the management of operational vehicles within the Samarinda Municipal Government.
This action followed public uproar over the use of a Land Rover Defender official vehicle by the Samarinda Mayor. The vehicle is reportedly rented for VIP guest purposes at approximately 160 million rupiah per month.
Andi Harun explained that operational vehicles are fundamentally intended to support official activities and serve guests of the regional government.
“Operational vehicles are fundamentally intended to support official activities and serve guests of the regional government,” Andi Harun stated in a statement received by detikKalimantan on Friday (13 March).
He also emphasised that in the procurement mechanism, the regional head did not specifically request any particular vehicle type or brand, as this constitutes part of the administrative process within the regional government framework.
Nevertheless, Andi Harun considered it important to ensure all policies are implemented according to established regulations and principles of accountability in governance.
“The review request to the Inspectorate is submitted as part of leadership responsibility in maintaining public trust,” he added.