Illegal Fees for Bed Rentals on Kayangan-Poto Tano Ferries, NTB Transport Agency Threatens Sanctions
Crew members (ABK) on one of the passenger ferries at Kayangan-Poto Tano Port are suspected of engaging in illegal levies (pungli) by renting out ship facilities (beds) to passengers. This action has angered the NTB Provincial Government (Pemprov) and prompted threats of sanctions.
Head of the NTB Transport Agency (Kadishub), Ervan Anwar, stated that his office has sent a warning letter to the operators of ferries on the Lembar-Kayangan route, following findings of suspected pungli in the form of bed rentals to passengers crossing Kayangan-Poto Tano.
“We have reprimanded them and sent a warning letter. This was indeed done by the crew of one of the ferry operators,” said Ervan on Thursday (14/5/2026).
The former Head of BKAD NTB explained that the letter issued is currently in the form of an initial reprimand. In addition, the Transport Agency has asked the ferry operators not to repeat such practices. If similar violations are found again, the sanctions imposed will be more severe.
“We could impose strict sanctions such as halting the operation of that ship if warnings up to three times are not heeded. We could also suspend its sailing schedule. But that comes after the third warning is ignored, step by step,” he emphasised.
Ervan affirmed that the NTB Provincial Government had previously regulated the prohibition on collecting levies for any public facilities that have already been provided for passengers.
Facilities such as beds, resting areas, and mobile phone charging sockets. All passenger facilities, he said, must not be sold to passengers unless they are special paid services.
“There are indeed facilities they prepare like that. For example, VIP rooms, it’s fine to charge for them,” he said.
Ervan supports the NTB Representative of the Indonesian Ombudsman in monitoring such pungli practices. He admitted that the warning letter to the ferry operators was also copied to the NTB Ombudsman. “We also copied it to the Ombudsman,” Ervan stressed.
Previously reported, the NTB Ombudsman also found pungli practices in the form of bed rentals to passengers on ferries on the Lembar-Padangbai crossing route.
From the investigation by the NTB Ombudsman inspection team, several passengers complained about crew members offering bed facilities at undetermined rates up to Rp 50,000 per bed.
Assistant to the NTB Representative of the Indonesian Ombudsman, Ratih Wulandari, emphasised that public services must be carried out transparently and free from illegal levies.
“There must be no hidden fees outside the official tickets already paid by the public. Practices like this must be stopped because they harm service users and tarnish the image of public transportation services,” Ratih asserted.