The tragedy of KM Mutiara Sentosa II must be a momentum for the total improvement of maritime transport safety.
Member of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Sudjatmiko, expressed his deep condolences over the fire disaster of KM Mutiara Sentosa II in the waters north of Sumenep Regency, East Java, while sailing from Surabaya to Makassar.
Based on the development of handling to date, the disaster resulted in five people dying, while hundreds of passengers were successfully evacuated in a massive rescue operation involving Basarnas, the Ministry of Transportation, TNI, Polri, local governments, and various related elements. The process of identifying victims and matching manifest data is still being carried out to ensure that all passengers are properly recorded.
"I convey my deepest condolences to all the victims' families. May the deceased and the deceased find the best place by the side of the Almighty God and the families left behind be given strength and fortitude. To the surviving victims, may you recover soon and be able to reunite with your families," said Sudjatmiko.
As a member of Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives which deals with the infrastructure and transportation sector, Sudjatmiko emphasized that this tragedy must be a serious alarm for all stakeholders to strengthen the national shipping safety system.
"Marine transportation accidents should not continue to occur. Passenger safety must be the top priority. I ask that an investigation be conducted thoroughly, transparently, and independently so that the cause of the fire can be objectively known, as well as serve as a basis for evaluating the seaworthiness of the ship, operational standards, safety procedures, and the supervision system carried out by the regulator," he said.
Sudjatmiko gave the highest appreciation to Basarnas, the Ministry of Transportation, the TNI, the National Police, the local government, fishermen, and all elements of the joint SAR who moved quickly to evacuate and search for victims.
According to him, the speed of response and cross-agency coordination is an important factor that has successfully saved hundreds of passengers in emergency situations in the middle of the sea.
"I appreciate the dedication and professionalism of all Basarnas personnel, the Ministry of Transportation, the TNI, the National Police, and all parties involved. Their quick response shows the presence of the state in protecting the safety of the community. I also give appreciation for the optimization of various rescue facilities, including the use of Rigid Inflatable Boats (RIB), rescue boats, aerial drones, and other search equipment which greatly help accelerate the process of evacuation and search for victims at sea," he said.
Apart from evaluating the causes of the fire, Sudjatmiko assessed that the government needed to strengthen passenger ship safety standards, especially in the fire protection system.
"Indonesia is an archipelago country with very high shipping activities. Therefore, every passenger ship must have a truly reliable fire suppression system, ranging from early detection, sprinkler systems, fire pumps, to a fire main system network that can utilize seawater as a source of water supply for suppression. The system must be tested periodically so that it can function optimally when emergencies occur," he said.
According to Sudjatmiko, the existence of portable fire extinguishers alone is not enough if it is not supported by a fixed extinguishing system that can reach all areas of the ship. Therefore, he encourages the Ministry of Transportation to evaluate the fire protection standards on all passenger ships, including ensuring the readiness of equipment, the implementation of periodic emergency simulation, and the improvement of crew competence in handling fires on board.
"Maritime safety should not only depend on the courage of the crew when facing disasters, but must be supported by a modern, reliable safety system, and meet national and international standards. Prevention must be the top priority so that every ship has the ability to respond to fires early before the fire gets bigger," he said.
Commission V of the Indonesian House of Representatives, continued Sudjatmiko, will continue to monitor the investigation process carried out by the National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) together with the Ministry of Transportation, including ensuring a thorough evaluation of the ship operator, compliance with shipping safety standards, accuracy of passenger manifest data, and strengthening the system of supervision of maritime transport so that similar incidents do not recur.
"This tragedy must be a turning point for improving the safety of Indonesian maritime transport. The state must ensure that every community receives safe, comfortable, and safe transportation services through stricter supervision, consistent enforcement of regulations, and strengthening the capacity of rescue agencies and the entire national shipping safety system," concluded Sudjatmiko.