House Commission VIII Urges Government to Prioritise KRL Safety

Public transportation safety is a shared responsibility that cannot be simplified to a single aspect alone. Jakarta (ANTARA) - Member of the DPR RI Commission VIII, Derta Rohidin, has urged the government not to divert focus from the main issue of public transportation safety, following the proposal to evaluate the placement of women-only carriages on KRL trains. He assesses that the proposal from the Ministry of Women’s Empowerment and Child Protection (Kemen PPPA) stems from the spirit of women’s protection but does not touch the root problems in the railway system. “The accident incident is not just about operational technicalities but also concerns the governance of the railway system that must be continuously improved comprehensively,” Derta said in a written statement in Jakarta on Wednesday. According to him, the policy of women-only carriages on KRL is fundamentally an affirmative step to provide a sense of security from potential harassment or gender-based violence in public spaces. However, in the context of accidents, safety-determining factors are more influenced by systemic aspects. Derta reminds that data from the Ministry of Transportation shows that most train accidents in recent years were triggered by human error and operational system disruptions, not passenger carriage configurations. He assesses that changing the position of women-only carriages does not directly reduce the risk of train collisions, so the policy could be symbolic if not supported by comprehensive studies. Derta also emphasises that women’s protection in public spaces must be carried out comprehensively, covering the prevention of sexual harassment, strengthening surveillance systems, quick responses to victim reports, and public education on shared security. As a concrete step, he encourages a thorough audit of the railway system, from signalling, inter-train communication, to operational control to close risk gaps. “Public transportation safety is a shared responsibility that cannot be simplified to a single aspect alone. We certainly support women’s protection in public spaces, but the policies taken must be on target and based on root problems,” he stated. He added that the momentum after the accident should be used to carry out systemic improvements so that similar incidents do not recur. “Do not let our energy be exhausted on solutions that seem quick but do not solve the fundamental issues,” said Derta.