Ministry of Transportation Uncovers Suspected Forgery of Documents for ALS Bus Involved in Fatal Accident in Muratara

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Ministry of Transportation has uncovered several suspected violations in the fatal accident involving a Sumatera Inter-Provincial (ALS) bus and a tanker truck on the Trans-Sumatra Highway in North Musi Rawas Regency, South Sumatra. The findings include an expired operational permit and discrepancies between the vehicle’s chassis number and official documents. Director General of Land Transportation at the Ministry of Transportation, Aan Suhanan, stated that the police discovered the bus’s chassis number did not match the data on the Vehicle Registration Certificate (STNK) and the Roadworthiness Certificate (KIR) book. “The chassis number of this bus does not match the existing documents, starting from the STNK and KIR book; they do not match,” Aan said in an official statement on Friday (8/5/2026). “This certainly requires further investigation, whether there is a possibility of forgery or the use of a vehicle registration number not intended for it,” he added. Meanwhile, the tanker truck involved in the accident still has a valid roadworthiness test until 26 June 2026. Nevertheless, the principal permit of the fuel transport company will be further investigated. The Ministry of Transportation emphasised that it will impose administrative sanctions if the audit uncovers violations. “If we find evidence of violations, we will impose sanctions, from permit suspension of up to 12 months to revocation of the company’s operational permit,” Aan continued. The bus arrived in North Lampung on 4 May, where the driver was replaced with a reserve driver. The journey then continued to Lubuklinggau, arriving on 6 May 2026 around 10:00 WIB, before the accident occurred about two hours later. “The journey was quite long; there were two reserve drivers, but considering the duration of up to four days, this may require further investigation,” Aan said.