MP Calls for Audit of National Roadworthiness Following Fatal Crash in Muratara
Jakarta - A member of the Indonesian House of Representatives’ Commission V, Rofik Hananto, has urged the government to audit the roadworthiness of national roads following the fatal crash between an Antar Lintas Sumatera (ALS) passenger bus and a tanker truck on the Trans-Sumatra Highway in Musi Rawas Utara Regency (Muratara), South Sumatra.
He stated that the tragedy, which resulted in at least 16 deaths, is suspected to have begun when the bus swerved to avoid a pothole, leading to a collision that sparked a fire.
“We urge the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Transportation to immediately conduct a thorough audit. Do not settle for road stability reports on paper, but also ensure the road’s functional roadworthiness in the field,” he said in a statement received in Jakarta on Friday.
The legislator responsible for infrastructure and transportation issues pushed for strengthening budget commitments so that national road infrastructure handling is no longer reactive, such as patching damaged roads only after they claim victims.
“The DPR and the government must collaborate to ensure that road maintenance fund allocations are adequate and sustainable. Therefore, the amount of preservation funds must be strengthened through legal amendments via revisions to the Road Traffic and Transportation Law,” he said.
In addition to evaluating the roadworthiness of inter-provincial routes, Rofik also emphasised the importance of auditing the safety systems of public transport fleets and tightening compliance with vehicle inspections for bus companies.
Furthermore, he called for legal accountability for road operators. The law, he said, must be enforced without favouritism to meet the sense of justice for the victims.
“We ask law enforcement agencies to thoroughly investigate potential criminal violations, whether negligence from the road operator side or from the operator and driver side,” said Rofik.
The fatal collision between the ALS bus and the tanker truck occurred on the Trans-Sumatra Highway, Karang Jaya Ward, Muratara Regency, on Wednesday (6/5) afternoon.
The Head of Public Relations of the South Sumatra Police, Senior Commissioner Nandang Mu’min Wijaya, in Palembang on Thursday (7/5), explained that the incident involved an ALS bus with licence plate BK-7778-DL and a tanker truck R6 with licence plate BG-8196-QB.
Based on initial investigation results, the accident is believed to have occurred when the ALS bus, travelling from Lubuk Linggau to Jambi, attempted to avoid a pothole. However, the vehicle lost control, veered into the opposite lane, and collided with the tanker truck, causing a massive fire.
Preliminary police data recorded a total of 20 victims in the incident, consisting of 16 fatalities, three with serious injuries, and one with minor injuries.