Seeking to Become Family: Abah Iwan Shares Iftar with Pasirlangu Residents During Ramadan
More than a month has passed since a catastrophic landslide buried dozens of homes in Pasirlangu village, Cisarua district, Bandung Barat regency in January. Now, residents are slowly attempting to recover.
On Sunday, 8 March, residents received a visit from West Java Deputy DPRD Chair Iwan Suryawan. Together with approximately 200 residents who were victims of the landslide, Abah Iwan, as he is affectionately known, listened to spiritually uplifting sermons on ground that had recently been devastated.
“We want to be accepted as part of the Pasirlangu family. That’s why we’re opening this together. May this become a path of kinship that continues,” said the West Java PKS Chair.
When the disaster occurred, PKS West Java established an aid post. To this day, that post continues to operate.
On this occasion, Abah Iwan also conveyed his commitment to assisting the local DPRD chair in advocating for residents’ rights with the administration.
“We want to complete Ramadan. Not only our relationship with Allah, but also with the community. Since it’s the fasting month, let us strengthen our worship and ask Him for this region to rise and be blessed with abundance,” he continued.
That afternoon, spiritual guidance was delivered by Iman Budiman, affectionately called Kang Ibe. This spiritual nourishment warmed the atmosphere as the evening Magrib prayer call approached.
Boxes of food were handed over to residents, who took them home to enjoy with their families.
As the message in Surah Al-Hajj verse 77 states: “So pray unto Allah and do good” — prostrate yourselves to Allah and then do good deeds.
Abah Iwan came to Pasirlangu accompanied by PKS Jabar General Secretary Tang Trisnanto, Treasurer Umi Siti Muntamah, as well as members of Bandung Barat Regency DPRD and West Java Province DPRD.
Dark memories in Pasirlangu are not easily forgotten. In the early hours of Saturday, 24 January 2026, around 02.00 WIB, heavy rain poured down on the Bandung Barat hilly area.
Soil saturated with water finally shifted. Mud and rocks buried Kampung Pasir Kuning. Dozens of lives were lost, dozens of others were reported missing. The search operation was closed in mid-February, after 22 days of unrelenting work by search and rescue teams.
Now, some residents still live with severe limitations. They have taken refuge in relatives’ homes or remain in safer locations.
But this Ramadan, Pasirlangu is not walking its path to recovery alone.