Jakarta. Deputy House Speaker Sufmi Dasco Ahmad has urged the government to delay a plan to import 105,000 pickup trucks from India for the flagship Red-and-White Cooperatives (Kopdes Merah Putih) program, as pressure builds from lawmakers and business groups to prioritize domestic manufacturers.

Sufmi Dasco Ahmad said he had directly conveyed the request to the government, arguing that the policy should not be rushed while President Prabowo Subianto is overseas.

“The plan to import 105,000 pickup trucks from India — I have conveyed a message to the government that it should be postponed for now,” Dasco, who is also one of President Prabowo's right hand men, told reporters at the parliamentary complex on Monday.

He said further deliberations should take place once the president returns to Indonesia, including consultations on the readiness of domestic companies to meet demand.

“Of course, when the president returns, he will discuss the details of the import plan,” Dasco said. “He will also seek input and calculate the preparedness of domestic firms. Therefore, we have asked that it be postponed first.”

The government previously announced plans to import 105,000 vehicles — including four-wheel-drive pickups and six-wheel trucks — to support operations under the Kopdes Merah Putih initiative. The vehicles are intended to distribute logistics and strengthen rural economic activities.

The proposal, valued at an estimated Rp 25 trillion ($1.5 billion), was disclosed by Joao Angle De Sousa Mota, president director of state-owned Agrinas Pangan Nusantara. The company reportedly plans to import 35,000 4x4 pickups from Mahindra & Mahindra, another 35,000 from Tata Motors, and 35,000 six-wheel trucks from the same manufacturers, with phased deliveries throughout 2026.

The plan has sparked debate over its potential impact on Indonesia’s automotive industry, which is seeking to boost production and protect jobs amid uneven domestic demand.

Saleh Husin, vice chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin), said the business group has asked Prabowo to scrap the proposal following consultations with manufacturers and industry associations.

“After hearing feedback from industry players, we are urging President Prabowo to cancel the plan to import 105,000 commercial vehicles,” Saleh said in a statement on Sunday.

He warned that importing fully built-up vehicles could erode the competitiveness of local manufacturers while generating limited economic multiplier effects at home. Domestic automakers, he added, have expressed readiness to supply vehicles for the rural cooperative program.

Prabowo has pledged to establish cooperatives in up to 80,000 villages nationwide as part of his economic agenda. The cooperatives are designed to function as rural food distributors, stimulate local economies and reduce reliance on intermediaries.

Under the plan, each cooperative is expected to receive between Rp 3 billion and Rp 5 billion in initial capital, which may be used to purchase infrastructure such as warehouses and cold storage facilities.

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