House Speaker Puan Maharani Urges Strengthening of Maritime Transport Safety

House Speaker Puan Maharani has urged the strengthening of maritime transport safety and security following a series of ship accidents in the first half of 2026. She emphasised that the success of national maritime transport should be measured by the level of safety and security provided to the public, not merely by logistical efficiency. “This is a collective concern. The number of ship accidents since the beginning of the year indicates serious problems in Indonesia’s maritime transport sector,” Puan stated in Jakarta on Tuesday (4/8/2026). She specifically highlighted the fire aboard the KM Mutiara Sentosa II in the waters off Sumenep, Madura, East Java, on 2 August 2026, which resulted in five passenger fatalities. Puan also referenced the sinking of the KLM Nurul Salsa in the Selayar Islands, South Sulawesi, on 15 July 2026, where four people died and 14 others remain missing. She stressed the need to address discrepancies in passenger manifests, which are suspected to be a primary factor in both incidents. Puan asserted that maritime safety is a national agenda linked to the protection of citizens’ basic rights, especially given the archipelagic nation’s dependence on sea transport for access to healthcare, education, and economic activities. “Safety must be a performance measure equal to connectivity. The government must make passenger safety a primary indicator in transport evaluations,” she said. The House Speaker also requested the government establish a national target for reducing maritime accidents, accompanied by regular evaluations to ensure accountability for ministries, agencies, and operators.