Jakarta DPRD Member Kenneth Calls for Total Audit of Chaotic Cables After Student Deaths

Jakarta DPRD member Hardiyanto Kenneth from the PDI Perjuangan faction is urging the Jakarta Provincial Government to conduct a total audit of all overhead cable networks in the capital. This follows the death of 16-year-old SMAN 6 Jakarta student Neisha Amalia Evrian Putri, who was killed in an accident caused by a dangling cable on Jalan Leuser, Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta.

Kenneth stressed that the incident on Thursday, 18 June 2026, should not be viewed as an ordinary traffic accident. He described the tragedy as a loud alarm highlighting the failure of supervision and poor management of chaotic utility infrastructure in Jakarta.

“I extend my deepest condolences to the victim’s family. However, behind this grief lies a serious problem that must be fixed. This is not just an ordinary accident, but an indication of negligence in managing utility infrastructure that has the potential to endanger the public,” Kenneth said in a statement on Tuesday, 23 June 2026.

The politician, known as Bang Kent, called on the Jakarta Provincial Government and relevant agencies to immediately launch a thorough investigation to uncover the exact cause of the incident, including tracing the party responsible for the dangling cable at the accident site.

According to Kent, public safety must not be compromised by weak supervision or poor utility management. If negligence is found on the part of the utility network owner, the government must impose strict sanctions.

“This case must not end with mere expressions of concern. There must be an evaluation and clear enforcement of responsibility. Public safety cannot be defeated by weak supervision or poor utility management. If proven negligent, the utility company must face maximum fines, licence suspension, and full responsibility to the victim’s family,” asserted the Commission C DPRD member.

Kent further noted that the problem of chaotic cables in Jakarta is not new. He quoted urban planning observer Yayat Supriatna, who described the situation as “CLBK” (Cucian Lama Belum Kering), meaning an old unresolved issue.

“If I may quote urban planning observer Mr Yayat Supriatna, he called this ‘CLBK’. What is CLBK? Old laundry that hasn’t dried. So this problem has truly never been resolved,” he said.

According to Kent, the recurring dangling cable incidents demonstrate a failure to enforce existing regulations. He pointed out that Jakarta already has a clear legal basis through Regional Regulation No. 8 of 2025 on Utility Network Placement, which mandates the relocation of overhead cable networks underground.

“This regulation was made using the people’s money, from the regional budget, from the study to the academic paper. The product is ready, so why isn’t it being used? Our supervision is severely lacking,” he stated.

Kent believes a total audit of all overhead cable networks in Jakarta is now necessary to map out vulnerable points that could cause similar accidents.

“We still frequently encounter chaotic and dangling cables in various areas of Jakarta. This condition can no longer be considered normal. The government must immediately collect data, enforce order, and ensure all utility owners comply with applicable safety standards,” he said.

Kent also criticised the weak policy execution by related regional agencies. He called for a comprehensive evaluation of the Jakarta Bina Marga Agency’s performance, given its crucial role in supervising and organising urban utilities.

“Jakarta needs a total cable audit and a single command for utility supervision so there is no more shifting of responsibility. Public safety must be the top priority,” he said.

The Lemhannas alumni chairman noted that overlapping authority among agencies has been a key reason why the overhead cable issue remains unresolved. Consequently, when incidents occur, each party tends to blame the others without a concrete solution.

Kent urged Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung to take decisive action, including performance evaluations and even a reshuffle of positions if necessary.

“We must not keep playing the blame game while the public continues to become victims. The Governor must be firm, as these are his subordinates. There must be an evaluation at the Bina Marga Agency; if they cannot resolve this issue, perhaps a refresh is needed,” he said.

Beyond audits and bureaucratic evaluations, Kent is pushing the government to launch a large-scale operation to clear overhead cables deemed dangerous to public safety. He requested that all dangling cable points in Jakarta be mapped and addressed immediately.

He insisted the government must not hesitate to take firm action against utility operators who fail to comply with regulations.

“We must be firm in carrying out a large-scale operation. We check all of Jakarta for dangling cable points and just cut them. If they are affected, they can coordinate later; we tell them to move the cables underground,” he asserted.

Kent added that the Neisha case is not the first incident caused by dangling cables in Jakarta. He recalled the case of Sultan Rifat Alfatih, a university student who suffered serious throat injuries after being snagged by a dangling fibre optic cable while riding on Jalan Pangeran Antasari, South Jakarta, in 2023.

According to him, the series of incidents shows that the government has not fully learned from past cases.

“We must not only scramble to find who is at fault every time there is a new victim. What the public needs is real action so that such incidents do not happen again,” he said.

Kent also stressed the importance of accelerating the programme to relocate overhead cables to underground networks.