Elderly Residents in Kamal Refuse Relocation to Nagrak Flats, Threaten to Sleep at Ward Office

JAKARTA - Juhid (78), a resident of RT 02 RW 07, Kamal Ward, Kalideres, West Jakarta, refuses to be relocated to the Nagrak Flats in North Jakarta, deeming the distance too far from his current home. He has even threatened to stay overnight at the ward office if his house on the Kamal Ward Public Cemetery (TPU) land is forcibly demolished before he receives replacement housing nearby. “I said, if it’s forcibly demolished, I’ll just sleep at the ward office. What do you think? I’m old, I need to work, so I want it close to here, flats in West Jakarta,” Juhid stated when met by Kompas.com at his home on Monday (30/3/2026). Juhid’s refusal stems from his need to continue working and support his family. At 78 years old, Juhid still toils as a driver at a plastics factory in the Salembaran area, Tangerang Regency. The distance from his current home to his workplace is about 7.5 kilometres, while from the Nagrak Flats it could reach 42 kilometres. “Imagine me at this age having to work that far, how would I manage? If I change jobs, who would hire an old person like me?” Juhid lamented. “Riding a motorbike from Nagrak to Salembaran, what would happen? What time would I have to leave from Nagrak for work? If I don’t work, what do I eat?” Juhid complained. Juhid objects because, in his view, some residents being relocated will go to areas not far from Kamal Ward. “Why do the young ones get places close by, like Warung Pojok, Rawa Buaya, and Pesakih? While I’m an elderly person, they make me move there (Nagrak),” he said. Similar complaints were voiced by Zainudin (57), a resident who has lived on the land for 25 years. Daily, he works as an on-call welder for building and factory projects in the West Jakarta area. Zainudin emphasised that, in principle, the residents are very ready and cooperative to be moved to flats, as long as the location is still accessible from their workplaces. “Earlier they said, whenever we’re evicted, we’re ready. Moved to flats, ready in essence. As long as it’s to the nearest flats. But if it’s this far, where do I find work, right?” Zainudin said.