Viral Land Rover Defender Used by Samarinda City Government Revealed to Cost Rp160 Million Monthly Rental Since 2023
The use of a Land Rover Defender official vehicle by Samarinda City Mayor Andi Harun has recently drawn scrutiny on social media. The municipal SUV became the subject of public attention following reports about East Kalimantan Governor Rudy Mas’ud’s official car, which was reported to cost Rp8.5 billion.
In response, the Head of General Affairs at Samarinda City Secretariat, Dilan Wewengkang, confirmed that the Land Rover Defender in question is a leased vehicle valued at Rp160 million per month. The vehicle is leased through PT Indorent Tbk under a three-year contract from 2023 to October 2026.
“The Defender is indeed leased. It was budgeted in 2022, and the contract commenced in 2023 and runs until October 2026. The monthly amount is Rp160 million,” Dilan stated, as quoted from a video posted on the Kaltim Etam Facebook account on Thursday, 12 March 2026.
He explained that the city government would reassess budget availability before deciding whether to renew the vehicle lease after the contract expires. “If the budget allows, perhaps we will extend it. If not, the contract ends in 2026, around October,” he said.
Dilan also stressed that the vehicle is not used exclusively by the Samarinda City Mayor. According to him, the car functions as an operational vehicle to support services for VIP guests visiting Samarinda.
Dilan revealed that the city government initially planned to purchase a vehicle to support field activities and guest services. In the 2022 budget planning, the allocated funds even reached approximately Rp4 billion.
However, this purchase plan could not be realised because the dealer, as the sole authorised distributor, could not provide vehicles with government licence plates for purchase by regional governments. “We wanted to buy a vehicle, but the sole distributor could not issue government plates. So the purchase could not proceed,” he said.
This situation prompted the Samarinda City Government to consult with the Government Goods and Services Procurement Policy Institute (LKPP) regarding a feasible procurement scheme. “So we coordinated with the LKPP. The solution could be through leasing. This is in accordance with government procurement procedures,” Dilan stated.