Jakarta. President Prabowo Subianto said Indonesia has begun laying the groundwork to produce its own domestically made car within the next three years, marking a renewed national effort to build a homegrown automotive industry.

“This is not yet an achievement, but we’ve started. We will have Indonesian-made cars within the next three years,” Prabowo said at a Cabinet Plenary Session at the State Palace in Jakarta on Monday.

The president said the government has allocated funding and land for the construction of a manufacturing facility that will produce the vehicle, with a development team already working on the project.

Prabowo pointed to Indonesia’s success in building the Maung light tactical vehicle, developed and manufactured by state-owned arms producer Pindad, as an example of the nation’s growing industrial capability. The vehicle, used by government and military officials, symbolizes national pride, he said.

“Our officers are now proud because they no longer use jeeps made abroad. They’re driving Indonesian-made vehicles. When a commander leads his troops in a Maung, he does so with pride,” Prabowo said.

He further instructed that the use of locally made vehicles be expanded throughout government and military institutions. “Soon, all of you must use Maung. I don’t want to see imported luxury cars except on holidays,” he said.

The renewed focus on a national car program comes after Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita announced that his ministry had proposed designating the project as a National Strategic Project (PSN), which would enable faster execution and greater central government support. He said the proposal documents had been signed and submitted for final approval. Once the program attains PSN status, it would be eligible for streamlined financing, land acquisition, and licensing processes.

“If it’s a PSN, everything will be prepared and ready. That’s why we’re pushing for that status first,” he said.

The initiative revives Indonesia’s long-standing ambition to produce a truly national car, a goal that has eluded the country since the 1990s. Prabowo said the latest push reflects the government’s commitment to ensuring that Indonesia not only assembles but also designs and owns its own vehicles.

“As of now, the funding and land for the factories are ready, and the team is hard at work,” he said.

The Maung MV3 Garuda, a model often used by Prabowo himself, weighs 2.95 tons and measures 5.05 meters in length, 2.06 meters in width, and 1.87 meters in height. According to Pindad, the Maung can reach speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour and travel as far as 500 kilometers on a single tank. Its engine delivers a maximum power output of 202 PS and torque of 441 Nm. Designed for all terrains, the Maung is equipped with an independent coil spring front suspension and a rigid rear suspension with shock absorbers.

Add as a preferred source on Google +