MTI: Independent audit strengthens maritime transport safety
The Indonesian Transportation Society (MTI) is advocating for an independent safety audit to strengthen the national transport system following the KMP Mutiara Sentosa II incident, while also urging enhanced supervision, compliance, and passenger protection.
MTI Chairman Haris Muhammadun stated that a safety audit must be conducted by an independent institution to ensure an objective evaluation process and produce credible, long-term recommendations for all transport operators. “Protecting the safety of passengers using public transport, whether land, sea, or air, is a high priority,” Haris said in Jakarta on Wednesday.
He made the statement in response to the fire incident involving KMP Mutiara Sentosa II in the northern waters of Sumenep Regency, East Java, which he said served as a reminder of the need to improve the shipping safety system. MTI views the incident as an important momentum to carry out comprehensive reforms involving all stakeholders.
Haris stressed that improving safety must be a shared responsibility between regulators, operators, and service users, so that every layer of the system can perform its role optimally. According to MTI, passenger awareness of safety procedures will form a strong foundation for building a sustainable transport safety culture across Indonesia.
On the operator side, MTI emphasised the importance of crew discipline in complying with passenger capacity limits and avoiding overloading practices that endanger shipping safety. The organisation noted that the electronic ticketing system at ports is actually capable of preventing violations if all operational procedures are consistently applied according to prevailing standards.
“The last line of defence, if everything else is neglected, is that the harbour master can refuse to issue a Sailing Permit (SIB). However, all the systems that have been established will fail if operational supervision is weak,” he said. MTI reminded that all safety measures will not be effective without strong operational oversight and consistent enforcement of rules against any violations found.
Therefore, MTI is pushing for a comprehensive policy that places safety as the highest priority, even if it requires delaying departures to ensure the security of all passengers. MTI considers it appropriate to use a portion of insurance funds to finance safety audits by independent institutions, as this aligns with passengers’ interests in obtaining safety protection when using public transport.
Furthermore, the policy is also seen as aligning with the interests of insurance fund managers. The lower the number of transport accidents, the less funds need to be disbursed, which has a positive impact on the sustainability of the system and the economy. “It is in the interest of insurance fund managers that if there are no transport accidents, then insurance funds will not be paid out. This is very good for the economy, because transport is the lifeblood of the economy,” Haris said.
Minister of Transport Dudy Purwagandhi stated that the fire incident involving KMP Mutiara Sentosa II in the northern waters of Sumenep Regency, East Java, would serve as a comprehensive evaluation to strengthen shipping safety standards, emergency response, and the protection of all service users. Dudy said the government would thoroughly evaluate the cause of the incident, operational procedures, and the shipping safety system to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
“To prevent similar incidents from recurring, the Ministry of Transport will conduct a comprehensive evaluation. What has happened now will serve as material for evaluation so that similar things do not happen again,” the Minister said in a statement in Jakarta on Tuesday.