TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The move by the government to call a temporary halt to all elevated construction projects after the accident at the Bekasi-Cawang-Kampung Melayu (Becakayu) construction project was a belated anticipation.
The collapse of the column casting that injured seven workers could have been avoided if a comprehensive audit had been carried out sooner. One such accident at a construction project in this country should have been enough to trigger a swift response from the Ministry of Public Works and Housing.
But the reality is that the string of accidents that began with the collapse of a concrete bridge on the Bogor-Ciawi-Sukabumi (Bocimi) toll road last September seems not to have been addressed seriously. A month later, a crane on the Bogor Outer Ring Road project fell onto the road and a girder also collapsed on the Pasuruan-Probolinggo toll road. In January, six girders buckled on the Depok-Antasari toll road project, while concrete fell from the light rail project at Cawang and Pulogadung, East Jakarta. In the last six months, there have been 12 accidents at different infrastructure projects.
Although late, a comprehensive evaluation is still needed. The causes of the accidents must be determined, and immediate solutions identified. The government must not be satisfied with explanations that simply put the blame on negligence by workers or violations of procedures.
It must be said that the construction of hundreds of airports, harbors, toll roads and reservoirs throughout Indonesia is the work of President Joko Widodo. Several of these projects had been in a state of limbo for years, without any word on when they would resume. This deserves appreciation.
Unfortunately, the planning of several of these major infrastructure programs was inadequate. The implementation seems to have been rushed in order to meet the deadline of completion before the 2019 elections. Several projects were officially opened before they were complete. There are worries that this kind of political consideration could mean that safety and caution are put aside.
The funding of these projects is also a problem. It is estimated that infrastructure projects in Indonesia from 2015 to 2019 will cost Rp4,197 trillion. Of this figure, only 42 percent is coming from the state. The remainder is being funded by the private sector through various investment schemes. The problem is that the private funding is not always in step with the completion deadlines set by the government. As a result, several projects such as the construction of the Cibubur-Jakarta-Bekasi light rail link are being rushed to completion despite the funding not yet being entirely clear.
This state of affairs could result in contractors trying to reduce their financial obligations. The Indonesian National Construction Managers Association admits that most managers of infrastructure projects ignore construction endurance audits and only carry out cost and project duration audits. This is dangerous for long-term infrastructure sustainability.
Therefore, the government has no choice but to evaluate every infrastructure construction project. Audit must be carried out immediately to determine the causes of accidents. This is the only way to save the national infrastructure construction project.
Read the full article in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine
