Tears of Kamal Residents Leaving TPU Land: Sad, Sincere, and Hopes for a Better Life

Heartfelt emotions of sadness, sorrow, and resignation enveloped the residents of Kamal and Pegadungan, Kalideres, West Jakarta, as they packed their belongings for relocation to low-cost apartments. After decades of living on land belonging to the Public Cemetery (TPU) owned by the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government, they now have to leave homes that have become an integral part of their lives. Although difficult, some residents have chosen to accept the relocation in the hope of obtaining more decent and healthy accommodation. “Since it’s government land, how can I hold on to it? I’ve already been lucky to live there for 20 years. There’s no choice; I don’t even have money for rent. What else can I do?” said Susilawati when met by Kompas.com at the location on Monday. Susilawati admitted that she had tried to find rental accommodation in the Kamal area. However, the rental cost of around Rp 1 million per month was beyond her means, making relocation her only option. At Rusun Nagrak, she receives a rental subsidy of Rp 550,000 per month, plus free rent for the first six months. “I’m fine with it; the important thing is that I’m registered. I can get elderly assistance, social aid, and PKH. So, living alone there, there’s some guarantee of a bit of income,” she explained. “In old age, we want to be healthy; they say the rusun is like an apartment. Yes, I want that. A comfortable life, good sleep, clean. All this time, we’ve been living in shacks here with lots of rats. I want to be healthy,” she said with teary eyes. She admitted that she is currently undergoing treatment for lung disease that she suffers from. For that reason, she hopes that the new, more decent environment can aid her recovery process. “I saw photos yesterday, and it looked good; they showed it to me. Insya Allah, life will be better there, healthier. Who knows, by moving to a healthy house, the disease will disappear, that’s all I hope,” she said. Susilawati’s move is accompanied by her daughter, Mega (25), who is also bringing a child. Based on data from the West Jakarta City Government, Mega actually received a unit at Rusun Pesakih, Cengkareng. However, she chose to follow her mother to Rusun Nagrak, which is about 35 kilometres away.