Repeated Ship Fires Prompt Lawmaker to Demand Evaluation of Sailing Permit Regulations
A member of the House of Representatives Commission V from the Golkar Party, Hamka B Kady, has highlighted the recent spate of ship accidents. Hamka is urging a comprehensive evaluation of maritime safety governance, including the regulation on the issuance of sailing permits (SPB).
“This cannot be viewed merely as a series of isolated incidents, but rather as a signal of the need for a thorough evaluation of shipping safety governance, including the regulation on the issuance of sailing permits,” Hamka told reporters on Thursday (12/8/2026).
Hamka referenced the sinking of KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya in the Bali Strait, the fire on KM Barcelona in North Sulawesi, the sinking of KM Nurul Salsa in the Selayar Islands, and the fire on KMP Mutiara Sentosa II in the waters off Madura. The most recent incident was the fire aboard KMP Putri Yasmin in the waters of Sekotong, West Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB).
He urged the government to immediately evaluate the Minister of Transportation Regulation Number 28 of 2022 concerning Procedures for Issuing Sailing Permits. He argued that the regulation is still too oriented towards administrative compliance through a master sailing declaration, while physical inspection of the vessel before departure is not yet a mandatory requirement for every SPB issuance.
According to Hamka, this provision needs to be harmonised with Law Number 17 of 2008 on Shipping, as amended by Law Number 66 of 2024, which mandates the harbour master to guarantee shipping safety through supervision, ship inspections, and the authority to issue or delay an SPB if safety requirements are not met.
Hamka criticised Article 12 paragraph (2) of the Ministerial Regulation, which states that the validity and correctness of a ship’s seaworthiness in the master sailing declaration is entirely the responsibility of the captain. “The captain’s responsibility cannot be diminished, but the state’s responsibility, through the harbour master, to conduct active supervision must also not be weakened,” he said.
“I extend my deepest condolences to all the families of the victims of ship accidents that have occurred over the past year. May the victims find the best place with God Almighty and may the families left behind be granted fortitude,” he added.
The Golkar Party legislator hopes the government will conduct a total evaluation. He stressed that anticipatory measures before a ship departs must be prioritised before the sea transport sets sail. “This series of tragedies must be a momentum for the government to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the Ministerial Regulation Number 28 of 2022. Shipping safety cannot depend solely on administrative declarations but must be supported by a strong supervisory system, adequate physical ship inspections, and safety governance that truly prevents accidents before they occur,” he concluded.