Regarding the Road Closure Trial Plan, Toni RM Says Pertamina RU VI Balongan Is Not Ready to Close Public Roads
INDRAMAYU-JAYA NEWS.COM – The planned trial closure of the public road in front of the Pertamina RU VI Balongan Refinery has drawn numerous protests from the community. This was revealed during a road closure awareness event attended by representatives of residents from three affected villages: Sukaurip, Balongan, and Sukareja.
Toni RM, a lawyer and representative of the Sukaurip Village community affected by the closure, stated that the majority of the community representatives present expressed objections because they deemed the prepared alternative road unsuitable for use.
“There have been many protests from the public because the alternative or replacement road still has many shortcomings. These include the lack of shoulders or sidewalks, the lack of drainage channels to anticipate flooding, and the lack of streetlights,” said Toni RM on Saturday, November 13, 2025.
According to him, the alternative road from Balongan to Tegal Sembadra will be used by many vehicles, including large vehicles like Pertamina tankers, so the safety of road users must be a top priority.
In addition to technical issues, Toni RM also questioned the legality of the planned road closure. He emphasized that access to public roads is a legally protected public right.
“I question the legality or permit documents for the road closure held by Pertamina RU VI Balongan. Public roads are a public right. When public roads are closed, public rights are violated,” he stressed.
He explained that actions that disrupt the function of roads can be categorized as criminal acts as stipulated in Article 28 paragraph (1) in conjunction with Article 274 of Law Number 22 of 2009 concerning Traffic and Road Transportation.
Article 28 paragraph (1) states, “Everyone is prohibited from committing acts that result in damage and/or disruption to the function of roads.” Meanwhile, Article 274 paragraph (1) stipulates criminal sanctions in the form of a maximum prison sentence of one year or a maximum fine of IDR 24 million.
“Closing a public road without permission is clearly an act that results in disruption to the function of the road, especially if it is permanent as planned,” said Toni.
However, he emphasized that criminal sanctions cannot be imposed if the road closure is carried out with official permission from an authorized official.
Therefore, he asked Pertamina to show the permit documents to the attendees, whether in the form of a Decree (SK) from the Governor or the Regent.
During the forum, a female representative from Pertamina explained that the document in question was not a decree, but rather a report of a meeting between the Indramayu Regency Government and Pertamina RU VI Balongan, which was then displayed on a projector.
“I asked, ‘Is it just a report?’ They answered yes. In fact, the road to be closed is a provincial road, not a district road. The closure permit period is only in the form of a report with the Indramayu Regency Government,” Toni explained.
He considered the report not a permit document or a decision by an authorized official, but merely a record of an agreement or the expression of opinion.
Meanwhile, Pertamina RU VI Balongan Communications Manager, Edo, clarified that the road closure permit documents were still being processed and incomplete. He assured that all permits would be completed before the road closure took place.
Based on the results of the socialization, Toni RM concluded that Pertamina RU VI Balongan was not yet ready, both legally and technically.
“Legally, the permit documents are incomplete. Technically, the alternative road is also not ready for safe use. Therefore, the road closure trial, planned for December 15, 2025, has been postponed or canceled,” he concluded.
He hopes this information can be disseminated widely so that those who were unable to attend the socialization can understand the meeting’s outcome and answer various public questions regarding the planned road closure in front of the Pertamina RU VI Balongan Refinery.**
Tedy
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