President Challenges Campus, Why Does Indonesia Still Import Wheat and Does Not Have Its Own Cars?

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto challenged universities to answer various problems that he considered still overshadowing Indonesia. Among them is dependence on imported wheat to the birth of a national car that is fully developed in the country.

The question was conveyed by Prabowo when giving directions in the National Sarasehan which is part of the Indonesian Science, Technology, and Industry Convention (KSTI) 2026 at Hall B of the Jakarta International Convention Center (JICC), Senayan, Jakarta, Friday, June 26.

In front of around 2,600 rectors, deans, lecturers, professors, and researchers from various universities, Prabowo said that campuses have an important role in producing innovations needed by the nation.

"Why can't we have wheat seeds? Why do we have to import wheat?" said Prabowo.

He also highlighted the productivity of Indonesian palm oil, which he considered still lagging behind Malaysia. In addition, Prabowo questioned why Indonesia had not been able to present a car that was fully developed by itself, even though every year the domestic market absorbed millions of vehicles.

"Why are you PhD?" he said.

According to Prabowo, these questions are not to blame the academics. He actually invited universities to find solutions to various problems that Indonesia is still facing.

The President said he routinely discussed with professors from various universities to find a way out of the problem. He believes that the progress of a nation always comes from science, technology, and human resource capabilities.

Prabowo also admitted that he was proud to have used a presidential car that was designed and produced in Indonesia. Although it still has shortcomings, according to him, the courage to start is an important step to build national industrial capabilities.

"We have to dare to start," said Prabowo.