Optimal Protection for National Vital Objects

A fire at the Pertamina Plumpang depot in North Jakarta on Friday (3/3/2023) reminds us of the importance of optimal protection for national vital objects.

FAKHRI FADLURROHMAN

Officers evacuate victims of a fire that occurred on Jalan Tanah Merah Bawah, Koja District, North Jakarta, Friday (3/3/2023).

This is not the first time the Plumpang depot has caught fire. According to Kompas news records, similar fires were reported in April 2002 and January 2009. Additionally, a buffer zone 30-50 meters wide surrounding the depot was once proposed to reduce various threats.

The fire in April 2002 occurred at five premium filling points, with no casualties. Meanwhile in January 2009, a fire broke out in Pertamina’s premium tank number 24, which had a capacity of 5,000 kiloliters.

Also read:

> 17 Killed in Plumpang Fuel Terminal Fire

At the end of October 2009, the North Jakarta administration proposed the construction of a 30-50 meter wide buffer zone surrounding the Pertamina Plumpang depot, the Tanjuk Priok installation, in North Jakarta.

“That effort was aimed at reducing various threats that could endanger the Pertamina depot, which is a strategic asset of the state,” said then-North Jakarta mayor Effendi Anas on Thursday (23/10/2008) (Kompas, 24/10/2008).

As of Sunday (5/3/2023) morning, 19 people have died and more than dozens have been injured. More than 500 residents have evacuated, and as of Sunday night many still need aid. The injured were treated in intensive care at several hospitals, a majority suffered severe injuries.

KOMPAS/CYPRIANUS ANTO SAPTOWALYONO

President Joko Widodo gives a press statement at the Rasela Child-Friendly Integrated Public Space in Jakarta, Sunday (5/3/2023). The Head of State asked that a solution be found immediately after the fire at the Pertamina Depot in Plumpang, Jakarta.

The Pertamina Plumpang depot is a national vital object as it is where 291,889 kiloliters of fuel is stored. Because this storage tank is so large and makes up about 20 percent of the national daily fuel needs, it is only fitting that its protection is maximized.

Optimal protection will guarantee two things, namely the safety of the stored fuel, which is crucial for the people, and security for residents who live around the depot. The fire on Friday night caused significant financial losses and loss of lives, both for Pertamina as the owner of the infrastructure and the residents.

For Pertamina, the results of a police investigation into the cause of the fire should be used as evaluation material. In the coming days, technical issues related to fuel storage at the Plumpang depot, which is recognized as one of the most efficient tanks in the world, must not occur again.

Also read:

> Thorough Investigation Called for in Pertamina Refinery Fire

The Plumpang area must also be remapped as it would be more ideal for residents’ settlements to be at a distance from national vital objects due to security reasons. The North Jakarta administration’s proposal in 2008 on the construction of a buffer zone is a step in the right direction.

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin and State-Owned Enterprises (BUMN) Minister Erick Thohir raised the issue of remapping. The President presented an alternative solution, which was either having the depot moved or the residents relocated. To protect our vital objects, the implementation of this solution cannot be delayed.

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.