Illegal Raid Sparks Chain of Accidents, 5 Palembang Transport Officials Dismissed

Five officials from the Palembang City Transportation Agency (Dishub) have been dismissed after being involved in an illegal raid that sparked a chain of accidents on Jalan Sriwijaya Raya in Palembang, South Sumatra, around 10:30 WIB on Thursday, 30 April 2026. The Head of the Palembang Inspectorate, Jamiah Haryanti, stated that the five officials, who hold the status of Government Employees with Work Agreements (PPPK), were proven to be directly involved in the illegal raid. “From the examination of 19 individuals, we have decided to dismiss five Dishub officials,” Jamiah told reporters on Monday, 4 May 2026. In addition to the dismissals, 14 other officials have been subjected to varying levels of administrative sanctions, ranging from salary deductions and transfers to the city’s outskirts to special placements on Pulau Kemaro. The decision has been reported to the Mayor of Palembang and will soon be formalised in an official decree. The investigation revealed that the illegal raid was carried out for personal interests. The officials are suspected of stopping vehicles deemed to be in violation to demand money from drivers, even through coercive means. “They stopped vehicles they considered to be in violation to demand illicit levies, even forcibly,” said Jamiah. Previously, a video recording showing Dishub members nearly being attacked by a mob went viral on social media. In the video uploaded by the Instagram account @feedgramindo, an emotional crowd of residents can be seen surrounding and nearly assaulting a Dishub official. The caption of the post stated that the tension was triggered by a traffic accident involving two large vehicles. The accident reportedly occurred after Dishub officials suddenly attempted to stop a truck in the middle of the road, causing vehicles behind it to be unable to avoid a collision. In the video, the front of one truck is seen to have sustained significant damage. The truck driver and nearby residents were furious with the officials’ actions, which were deemed hazardous. Several people appeared to attempt physical action against the Dishub official. Fortunately, a TNI member intervened to calm the crowd and secure the official to prevent the outburst.