Purwanto's Long Journey: A Retired Indonesian Military Officer's Struggle from Depok to Menteng in Search of Employment
In Jakarta, beneath the shelter of a bus stop at the Regional Public Library in Kuningan, Setiabudi, South Jakarta, an elderly man sat watching vehicles pass by on Monday, 2 March 2026. His name was Purwanto, 62, a family head struggling to find work after being made redundant in November 2025.
Having previously retired from the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI AD) in 2023, Purwanto worked for an agricultural company before his dismissal. That afternoon, he was resting after walking from Menteng, Central Jakarta, having just returned from yet another unsuccessful job-hunting expedition.
“With Eid approaching, I’m still without work,” Purwanto said when met by Kompas.com. “I search for jobs at construction projects on the streets. There’s digging work, but I can’t do that anymore—my body is too weak. I can still do mixing cement and plastering work, but there’s nothing available yet.”
Purwanto was determined to secure new employment before Eid 2026 so his family could live more decently. Currently, he relied only on his military pension, which barely covered his family’s basic needs. “When I received a monthly salary of, say, Rp 5 million, my pension is only Rp 500,000 per month,” he explained.
On this day alone, he had to walk because his electronic money card balance had run out when he was about to return home to Cilodong, Depok. Purwanto refused to ask others for fare without making an effort himself. He could only wait for kindness from strangers or walk the dozens of kilometres to his home during the fasting month.
“My balance is finished. When I tapped the card, it didn’t work. I only had around Rp 2,000 left. So I walked because I had no fare. I don’t know when I’ll get home,” he said with a resigned laugh.
He had once travelled to Tangerang, Banten, when a friend informed him of a job opportunity there. Purwanto often felt ashamed returning home empty-handed after failing to meet job requirements. He felt embarrassed with his family and guilty towards his wife.
Yet Purwanto refused to give up. He was willing to walk long distances for work that could generate income. “The important thing is to try, even though sometimes I cry inside,” he said.
After resting, Purwanto resumed his journey home on foot, hoping for assistance from anyone he might meet along the way.