South Kalimantan Traffic Police Suspect Illegal Racing Involves Gambling Practices
The South Kalimantan Regional Police Traffic Directorate suspects that gambling practices are one of the factors driving the prevalence of illegal street racing in the area, necessitating a response that involves police functions beyond the traffic unit.
The Director of Traffic for the South Kalimantan Regional Police, Kombes Pol. Fahri Sirengar, stated in Banjarmasin on Friday that illegal racing is believed to involve parties acting as bookmakers and bettors, who promote the events to attract spectators. “In several locations, illegal racing involves bookmakers and bettors, and is promoted to gather crowds,” he said.
According to Fahri, if other criminal elements are discovered, the handling of these cases will not be limited to the traffic unit but will also involve the Samapta (Public Order), Intelligence, and Criminal Investigation units. He noted that routine patrols have not yet fully provided a deterrent effect, as perpetrators frequently change locations to evade officers.
Key areas of concern include Jalan Ahmad Yani from Kilometer 5 in Banjarmasin to Liang Anggang in Banjarbaru, as well as the South Ring Road and the Gambut area in Banjar Regency. Fahri stated that the police continue to conduct preventive patrols to disperse crowds before illegal racing begins, while simultaneously taking action against any violations or suspected criminal activities found.
Regarding the development of traffic accident figures, he noted an increasing trend. Based on the Road Safety Index, the second quarter of 2026 showed an improvement of approximately 6.6 per cent compared to the first quarter. However, looking at data from January to June 2026, the number of traffic accidents in South Kalimantan has continued to rise. Despite this, the number of fatalities has actually decreased. “We are not only pursuing a reduction in fatality rates but are also striving to suppress the total number of accident incidents,” he said. To achieve these targets, the South Kalimantan Police Traffic Directorate continues to rely on the 5E strategy: Education, Encouragement, Enforcement of Law, Engineering, and Emergency Response.