Irony of Cirebon Coastal Flooding: Income Lost, Land and Building Tax Bills Remain Due

Residents of Cirebon Regency, West Java, have voiced concerns over worsening coastal flooding (rob), demanding local authorities immediately construct sea walls to prevent saltwater intrusion into residential areas.

Sanuri, a resident of Ambulu Village in Losari District, Cirebon, stated on Monday (25 May): “The situation of rob flooding in our village has worsened significantly.” He explained that while the flooding has persisted for nearly nine years, this year’s conditions are the most severe due to increased frequency and duration of inundation. “Previously, rob occurred a few times a month, but now it happens almost 20 days a month,” he added.

According to community records, approximately 70% of homes in Ambulu Village are currently submerged under 20-50 centimetres of saltwater, causing foundational damage to many residences. The disaster has not only damaged housing but also crippled the local economy, with fishponds—vital for residents’ livelihoods—rendered unusable. “Most of the villagers’ fishponds are destroyed and no longer productive, leaving many without income,” Sanuri said. Coastal ecosystem degradation has led to widespread loss of primary occupations, particularly among fishpond farmers and fishermen.

This dilemma is exacerbated by the obligation to pay Land and Building Tax (PBB) despite unproductive land. In response, Ambulu Village residents staged a protest at the Cirebon Regent’s office today. “We held a hearing with the Regional House of Representatives on 24 July 2025, but the rob flooding and saltwater intrusion issues remain unaddressed systematically,” Sanuri added. Residents urge the government to expedite sea wall construction along the coastline to mitigate ongoing flooding.

In response to the mass demands, Deputy Regent Agus Kurniawan Budiman stated that local authorities will conduct an on-site assessment of affected areas in Ambulu as an immediate measure. He added that since 2025, the Cirebon Regency government has coordinated with the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) regarding rob flooding in the northern coastal region (pantura), including plans for a giant sea wall as part of the central government’s programme. “We will map affected land and coordinate with the tax office regarding possible tax relief for unproductive fishponds due to rob. We will also report to the Regent to implement policies, at minimum tax relief for impacted fishpond land,” Agus said. As an emergency tactical measure, the local government is currently preparing temporary solutions, including emergency sea walls built with heavy machinery and sandbag installations facilitated by BNPB assistance. (UL/P-2)