Jakarta Mob Vandalizes Another Bus After Pedestrian Gets Hit

A TransJakarta bus was vandalized by an angry mob after hitting a pedestrian on Wednesday, prompting the operator to reroute the service for about an hour.

At 11 a.m. on Wednesday, a bus on Corridor III hit Supriadi, 22, as he crossed the street in the Roxy area near Harmoni in Central Jakarta.

Supriadi sustained minor injuries and was treated at the nearby Sumber Waras Hospital, but the accident prompted dozens of bystanders to smash the bus’s windows.

The incident caused crippling traffic, and the route, which runs from Harmoni to Kalideres in West Jakarta, had to be diverted to avoid other buses from falling victim to the mob.

“I immediately requested the buses detour through Tomang [West Jakarta]. But by 12:40 p.m., the traffic was normal again so the route was back to normal,” TransJakarta chief M. Akbar said.

The bus’s driver was taken to a nearby police station for questioning. Police are also investigating the cause of the accident.

If the driver is at fault, they could be fired from the company, Akbar said.

“The sanction depends on … his role. We can fire him, but we can also impose other sanctions like suspension,” he said.

The incident came just five days after a 10-year-old boy was instantly killed after being hit by a Trans-Jakarta bus in Mampang, South Jakarta.

A witness said the boy, identified as Adam Sauki, was chasing his mother when he was hit.

An angry mob later vandalized the TransJakarta bus, smashing its windows and body and leaving it badly damaged.

In a bid to curb accidents, Jakarta Police and transportation officials are planning to install 30 centimeter-high barriers to the TransJakarta lane given the current 10-centimeter barriers are often ignored by motorists.

Officials have also proposed upgrading Jakarta’s pedestrian crossings and street lights. Lenny Tristia Tambun