Indonesian House Speaker Urges Govt to Strengthen Maritime Safety System

TEMPO.CO reported that House Speaker Puan Maharani has called on the Indonesian government to strengthen its maritime safety system in light of repeated accidents involving passenger ships. The latest incident occurred when the KM Virgo Transport 8 sank in the Masalembo, Java Sea, on September 13, 2026, leaving 108 passengers dead and 129 still missing after an evacuation. Puan urged the government to conduct a comprehensive review of the national maritime safety system to prevent such tragedies from happening again.

The House of Representatives (DPR) legislative tools will oversee the investigation into the cause of the accident, according to Puan. She stressed that ship accidents resulting in casualties should not be allowed to occur, and the government must improve the maritime transportation system. The cause of the Virgo Ship's capsizing and sinking should be thoroughly investigated, considering factors such as natural, technical, or human factors, Puan stated.

Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi confirmed that the government would investigate the Virgo Ship accident via the National Transportation Safety Committee (NTSC). He requested all parties to allow the NTSC to operate professionally, independently, and based on data. Dudy emphasized that the goal is to identify the cause of the accident and use it as a lesson to enhance maritime safety in the future.

South Kalimantan Governor Muhidin previously emphasized the need for a thorough evaluation of maritime transportation safety aspects following the search and rescue efforts for the victims of the Virgo Transport 8 sinking in the Java Sea. He stressed that maritime transportation safety is not only a technical issue but also a matter of human life and safety, as every passenger represents families waiting for their loved ones.