JAKARTA - Member of Commission VII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Kaisar Abu Hanifah, highlighted the government's policy through PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara which will import 105,000 pickup trucks from India worth Rp. 24.66 trillion. According to Kaisar, the domestic automotive industry is currently very capable of meeting the operational needs of the Red and White Village Cooperative (Kopdes) without having to rely on foreign products.
"The decision to import pickup trucks from India for the operations of the Red and White Kopdes should be studied in depth. We hope that the government will consider the ability of the domestic automotive industry, which has proven to be able to produce light commercial vehicles," said Kaisar, Tuesday, February 24.
The legislator from the DI Yogyakarta constituency revealed that the national automotive production capacity has reached 2.5 million units per year as of February 2026. This production quota fully meets the needs of the Kopdes Merah putih which is only in the range of 100 thousand units.
"There is a big impact if the fulfillment of the needs of light commercial vehicles from local manufacturers where there is a much greater multiplier effect for the community," he said.
The emperor explained that Indonesia has a long track record in producing tough commercial vehicles, ranging from legendary models to the latest local production units. He assessed that the use of domestic products is not merely a technical issue, but rather a matter of employment and strengthening the local component industry in accordance with the Domestic Component Level (TKDN) policy.
"If the government chooses domestically produced pickup trucks, this will open up employment, reduce unemployment, and support policies to strengthen the national industry. The use of local units also facilitates after-sales service and the availability of spare parts for cooperatives in the region," he said.
Furthermore, Commission VII of the DPR encourages the government to open a dialogue with national automotive industry players before realizing the large-scale imports. Emperor reminded that the procurement of tens of trillions of rupiah should be prioritized to move the domestic economic wheel rather than strengthening the balance of trade of other countries.
"We do not reject the modernization of Kopdes operations. However, strategic policies like this must consider the interests of the national industry. As long as the Indonesian automotive industry is able to produce, then imports should be the last option," he concluded. Previously, the President Director of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota spoke out regarding the statement of the Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia Sufmi Dasco Ahmad who asked for the import of pickups from India to be postponed.
Joa admitted that he would follow the instructions from the government and the House of Representatives regarding the postponement of the import of pickups from India.
"We follow, manut saja. Whatever the decision. We just work for the country and the community," Joao told reporters, Monday, February 23.
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