House Forms Working Committee on Ship Accidents, Scrutiny of Sea Transport Directorate Questioned
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- Komisi V DPR berencana membentuk panitia kerja untuk menyelidiki rentetan kecelakaan kapal yang terjadi dalam periode singkat.
- Ketua Komisi V Lasarus menilai lemahnya pengawasan Direktorat Jenderal Perhubungan Laut menjadi pemicu utama, dengan 111 insiden tercatat sejak 2020.
- Panja berpotensi merekomendasikan penyelidikan pidana jika ditemukan pelanggaran, dan Kementerian Perhubungan akan segera dipanggil.
Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) plans to form a working committee (panja) to investigate a series of ship accidents that occurred within a short span of time. The move follows a number of shipping incidents that have raised serious questions about the effectiveness of maritime safety oversight in Indonesia.
The chairman of Commission V, Lasarus, said the complexity of the issues arising from these accidents necessitated a thorough investigation. "Because the many questions related to these accidents are so complicated, we as a commission may form a panja," he said at the parliamentary complex on Tuesday (15/9).
The PDIP politician highlighted the weak oversight function of the Directorate General of Sea Transportation (Hubla) at the Ministry of Transportation. According to him, existing oversight has not been able to guarantee that vessels are seaworthy before sailing, leaving a wide gap for accidents.
Lasarus stressed that the panja would have broader room to dig into the causes of the accidents and formulate concrete recommendations. "Because with a panja our room to delve deeper is greater, and the panja must also produce recommendations later," he said.
If the investigation finds elements of a criminal offense, Commission V will not hesitate to recommend law enforcement. "I said that if we don't get into criminal matters, but if for instance the panja later recommends that there is a criminal act, a criminal violation, of course we will recommend that it also be investigated from the criminal side," Lasarus said firmly.
In the near future, Commission V will summon the Ministry of Transportation to request a detailed explanation. "Definitely, if this is indeed the case, we won't just summon them again, we will pick this apart," he said, signaling that the DPR will thoroughly dissect the causes of the string of accidents.
The latest incident in the spotlight is the loss of contact with KM Virgo Transport 8, which was carrying 243 passengers on a voyage from Surabaya to Banjarmasin. The ship was reported to have lost contact in Masalembo Waters, Java Sea, on Sunday (13/9) at around 02.00 WITA. So far, 108 passengers have been rescued, six people have died, and 129 others are still being searched for.
The high number of ship accidents in recent years reflects structural problems in maritime transport governance. Weak regulatory enforcement, minimal safety audits, and limited oversight facilities are factors often cited by observers. The formation of the panja is expected not to be merely a political response, but to produce systemic improvements that prevent similar tragedies from recurring.
For the public, especially users of sea transport services, this DPR move is a test of whether oversight will truly be tightened or merely stop at recommendations without follow-up. The Ministry of Transportation is also being pressed to be transparent in uncovering the causes of accidents and improving safety procedures. Without fundamental improvements, the risk of accidents in Indonesian waters will continue to loom.
