Indonesian Lawmaker Slams Indian Vehicles Import for Village Cooperatives

February 24, 2026 | 12:09 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Member of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) Firman Soebagyo slammed as odd the plan to import 105,000 pickup trucks from India by PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara for the village cooperatives' operations. The plan, he said, could potentially contradict President Prabowo Subianto's commitment to strengthening domestic production.

"Industry independence must not become a mere slogan. If the practice [village cooperatives] ends up opening the floodgates for imports, the public has the right to question the government's consistency," he said in a written statement on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

Importing pickup trucks would cut off the value chain that should have been rightfully enjoyed by the local auto industry. Moreover, the industry is not only about, but also involves supply chains that engage the steel and iron industry, tire components, glass, and thousands of supporting MSMEs.

"Every unit locally manufactured creates a multiplier effect, from absorbing labor and tax revenue to prompting the component industry to start moving," he expressed.

Firman emphasized that state-owned enterprises should be the driving force for strengthening the domestic industry, instead of allowing potential imports that could erode the national automotive economy. Thus, he said, the vehicles required for the Red and White Village Cooperatives must be acquired through domestic production.

"State-owned companies should be on the side of the domestic industry. The President [Prabowo] should evaluate and even cancel this import plan," said the deputy chair of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Meanwhile, PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara was appointed to expedite the operational activities of the Red and White Village Cooperative. The President Director of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota, mentioned that a number of imported pickup trucks from India have arrived in Indonesia.

These complete pickup trucks will be used for the village cooperative activities in over 85,000 villages. Through Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, the government targets the construction of around 30,000 Merah Putih Village Cooperative buildings by mid-2026.

Read: Boots in the Village: The Military Push Behind Prabowo's Cooperative Drive

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