Cause of Accident, Commission V of the DPR asks the Ministry of PU to immediately repair the damaged road

ILLUSTRATION BETWEEN

Member of Commission V of the House of Representatives, Syafiuddin Asmoro, asked the Ministry of Public Works (PU) to immediately intervene to address the problem of the many damaged roads in various regions in Indonesia. He emphasized that road damage must be repaired immediately because it has the potential to endanger public safety.

This was conveyed by Syafiuddin highlighting the traffic accident incident that killed a student on Jalan Matraman Raya, East Jakarta, on Monday, February 9 morning. The victim was suspected of riding a motorcycle and was on his way to school when the accident occurred. The incident is suspected to be related to the damaged road conditions.

Syafiuddin conveyed his deep concern over the incident. He emphasized that road user safety must be the government's top priority.

According to him, the PU Ministry needs to take quick and coordinated steps with the provincial government and district/city governments to ensure that repairs are effective and targeted.

"This damaged road is a serious problem. Don't let it continue to take victims. The PU Ministry must come down directly and coordinate with the local government so that the handling is thorough," Syafiuddin told reporters, Monday, February 9.

"Regulationally, the obligation to repair roads has been clearly regulated in Article 24 of Law Number 22 of 2009 concerning Road Traffic and Transportation," said Syafiuddin.

In this article, it is stated that road organizers must immediately and properly repair road damage that can cause traffic accidents.

"If repairs cannot be made, the government must provide a clear warning sign or sign at the location of the damage," he said.

Syafiuddin explained, Article 273 of the same Law also regulates the threat of criminal punishment for road operators who are negligent. Road operators who do not immediately repair or mark a damaged road so that it causes an accident can be subject to a prison sentence or fine, with different amounts depending on the consequences caused.

Syafiuddin emphasized that the provisions of the law must be a serious concern for all stakeholders. He encouraged a thorough evaluation of road conditions, especially at accident-prone points, as well as an acceleration of budget allocation for infrastructure improvements.

"The safety of the people is the highest law. The state must not lose out on negligence in the maintenance of basic infrastructure such as roads," he concluded.