“For the first time, President Prabowo was picked up by a Maung car upon landing abroad. This vehicle is the pride of the Indonesian nation, resulting from the development of the national defense industry,” Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya said.
Through an Instagram post cited in Jakarta on Thursday, Wijaya noted that President Prabowo boarded the Maung upon arriving in Cebu earlier in the afternoon and intends to rely on the vehicle throughout his Philippine visit.
He described the president’s vehicular decision as an effort to showcase Indonesia’s growing strengths to the world.
“Being used for the international forum, the Maung evolves beyond a mere mode of transportation into a symbol of the nation’s self-reliance, confidence, and industrial growth. Maung has become a symbol of diplomacy,” the cabinet secretary remarked.
Elaborating further, Wijaya highlighted that Pindad began developing the tactical car during Prabowo’s tenure as defense minister, with more than 3,200 units already produced to date.
He underlined that the government has been using the Indonesian-made vehicle for various purposes at home.
“In fact, President Prabowo has been riding Maung since his inauguration as president of the Republic of Indonesia on October 20, 2024,” he added.
Wijaya concluded by stating that Maung “emerges from home, for Indonesia, and is present on the global stage.”
The Indonesian president arrived in Cebu via Benito Ebuen Air Base at 1:48 p.m. local time. He was welcomed with a traditional dance performance and received by Philippine officials.
Earlier, the Presidential Secretariat stated that Prabowo would begin his Cebu agenda by attending the BIMP-EAGA Summit, which serves as a strategic platform for Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines to strengthen connectivity and expand economic cooperation within their sub-region.
He is also set to partake in talks on matters of shared concern, including energy security amid rising geopolitical tensions.
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Translator: Fathur R, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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