Sumbawa Resident Blocks Deputy Regent's Car to Protest Damaged Roads and Water Crisis
A man in Sumbawa Regency blocked the official car of Deputy Regent Mohamad Ansori as a form of protest and to demand the fulfilment of promises to repair damaged roads in Mata Village, Tarano District. The incident was recorded on video and uploaded to Facebook by Jamaludin P. Zaenab, quickly going viral and drawing widespread comments from netizens. In the video, the man is seen washing his motorcycle in a puddle before approaching the official vehicle. “Once again, I apologise, Deputy Regent, for blocking your way so you can see what concerns the residents of Mata Village, Tarano District, Sumbawa Regency, which is still water above and a bridge below,” Jamaludin wrote, as quoted on Tuesday (11/8/2026).
After the red-plated car sounded its horn, the man voiced his complaint regarding the road’s condition, which the Regent had previously promised to repair. “This is the road the Regent promised to fix because it is no longer fit for use,” he stated in the video. He then approached the car to deliver his complaint directly. Jamaludin later explained that he was forced to take this action because the damaged road had not been repaired. “I am just collecting on the government’s promise to fix this road. We were promised twice, and they only said ‘God willing’,” he said when contacted by telephone.
Jamaludin believes the Sumbawa Regency administration has broken its promises and neglected development in the Mata Village area, including Tolo Oi Village. He noted that the road in Mata is severely damaged, while residents of Tolo Oi lack access to clean water during the dry season. He revealed that some residents of Tolo Oi must travel a long distance to Mata Village to fetch water, which is often unclean, because the local water supply system is broken and clogged. Separately, Mata Village Head Sukirman confirmed the incident, stating it occurred spontaneously a few days ago when the Deputy Regent visited the village, but the video only went viral on Tuesday.