Banten Provincial Government Faces Civil Lawsuit Over Damaged Road in Pandeglang
The Banten Provincial Government is one of the parties being sued in a civil case due to the poor condition of the Labuan highway in Pandeglang Regency. The provincial government stated that it will face the lawsuit filed by a motorcycle taxi driver, Al Amin Maksum.
The Acting Head of the Legal Bureau of the Banten Provincial Government, Hadi Prawoto, said that the provincial government expresses its condolences for the death of an elementary school student who fell off the motorcycle ridden by Amin. The motorcycle ridden by Amin fell because it hit a pothole on the Labuan-Pandeglang highway.
“We are saddened and express our condolences for the loss of life caused by the accident,” Hadi said on Tuesday (24 February 2026).
He said that suing the government is the right of the community. In his view, the government is not above the law, and every policy should be open to scrutiny.
“We respect the legal action taken by the community. It is a constitutional right of citizens,” Hadi said.
“For us, the lawsuit is not just about winning or losing in court. What is more important is ensuring the safety of the community, accelerating infrastructure improvements, and evaluating the existing maintenance system,” he said.
According to Hadi, if the local government’s policies have shortcomings, then this will be used as material for improvement. However, if the government has already acted in accordance with standards, then the provincial government will prove it in court.
“If there are indeed shortcomings, then it will certainly be used as material for improvement. But if the government has acted in accordance with standards and regulations, then we will also prove it legally,” he said.
He added that the provincial government applies a responsive, transparent, and accountable attitude in providing public services, especially in the field of infrastructure that concerns the welfare of the wider community.
Previously, the Head of the Public Works and Spatial Planning Office of Banten Province, Arlan Marzan, said that on 27 January 2026, or when the accident occurred, the repair process was underway on the Labuan highway. The repairs had been carried out since 16 January 2026.
“From 22 to 28 January, the repairs or maintenance of the road were temporarily suspended due to rain or unfavourable weather. After that, the repairs were resumed,” Arlan said on Monday (23 February).
Arlan also stated that officers received reports of an accident on 27 January 2026, specifically at Gardu Tanjak, Pandeglang Regency. He said that officers from the Pandeglang Road Maintenance Unit had installed warning signs for the repairs since the project began.
“Road repair signs have been installed, including markers around the location of the incident,” he said.
Motorcycle Taxi Driver Files Civil Lawsuit
The Pandeglang Regency Government and the Banten Provincial Government are being sued in a civil case by Amin. The subject of the lawsuit concerns the condition of the damaged roads in Pandeglang Regency.
“Yes, that’s correct (sued), it was just registered today,” said the spokesperson for the Pandeglang District Court, Iskandar Zulkarnain, when asked for confirmation on Tuesday (24 February 2026).
Zulkarnain said that the parties being sued will then be summoned to attend the trial. In the civil trial, he said, the defendants can use legal counsel.
“The parties will be summoned for the first hearing. Regarding who will attend the trial, in principle, in civil cases, legal counsel can be used,” he said.
For information, there are four parties listed in the lawsuit, namely the Governor of Banten, the Public Works and Spatial Planning Office of Banten, the Regent of Pandeglang, and the Transportation Office of Pandeglang.
The lawsuit was filed following a traffic accident that killed Khairi after he fell off the motorcycle ridden by Al Amin. The incident occurred on 27 January.
The plaintiff’s lawyer, Raden Elang Mulyana, said that the Governor of Banten and the Regent of Pandeglang must be held responsible for the condition of the damaged roads. He explained that, based on Law Number 22 of 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation, the government has a role in providing services and comfort to road users.
“So, those who should be held legally accountable are the Governor of Banten and the Regent of Pandeglang as the officials in charge of the Labuan-Pandeglang highway,” he said.
“Damaged roads certainly endanger road users. Traffic accidents caused by damaged roads often occur. This should be a greater concern for those responsible for or managing the roads,” he added.