When Prabowo Asked Pindad to Design a Special Car for His Use
President Prabowo Subianto has asked PT Pindad (Persero) to design a special vehicle for presidential use, featuring transparent glass so that he can be seen by the public when seated or standing inside.
This statement was made by the head of state during his speech at the simultaneous inauguration of 1,061 Desa Merah Putih (KDMP) cooperatives in Nglawak Village, Kertosono District, Nganjuk Regency, East Java, on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Initially, Prabowo called out the name of PT Pindad’s Director General, Sigit Puji Santosa, during his speech. Prabowo then asked Pindad to create a new design for the presidential state car.
“Try designing a special car for the president with glass, with seats, but so that I can be seen standing,” said Prabowo, as quoted from the Presidential Secretariat’s YouTube channel, Saturday, May 16, 2026.
Prabowo’s statement immediately drew laughter from the audience. “(He wants a car) that has seats but allows him to be seen while standing. Is that okay? Well, I am already (75 years old). I feel sorry for the people who have been waiting for so long, but I am enthusiastic,” he said.
Prabowo said he felt bad seeing people standing outside for a long time when he visited an area. He even got sore arms from greeting the public who wanted to shake his hand. “There are so many people outside on the street; it would be ridiculous if the president was inside a vehicle. I have to stand,” he said.
The presidential car currently used by Prabowo is the MV-3 Garuda Limousine, produced by PT Pindad. When he was inaugurated on October 20 last year, Prabowo rode in a white Maung during the parade from the DPR/MPR RI building to the Presidential Palace. Prabowo often uses the Maung as his official state vehicle.
He had also planned for officials at the ministerial, vice-ministerial, gubernatorial, and mayoral levels to use the same type of vehicle.
The Maung Garuda is produced by the state-owned enterprise PT Pindad, which is based in Cimahi, West Java. The state-owned company produces four units of the Maung Garuda Limousine, two of which are for the president and vice president.
The Maung is a tactical light combat vehicle, a modular 4x4 designed for close-range operations. The name Maung is used because it means tiger in Sundanese.
According to Pindad’s official website, the Maung 4x4 was designed to support close-range operations and mobility across all terrains. The car is equipped with a 1,900cc six-speed turbocharged diesel engine. With this engine, the Maung can produce 136 horsepower and accelerate safely up to 120 kilometers per hour.
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