The Long Journey of Bubur Tambun Vendors: Survival Strategies and Family Legacy

Bekasi, Kompas.com – Economist and Executive Director of the Center of Economic and Law Studies (CELIOS), Bhima Yudhistira Adhinegara, assesses that the tradition of Bubur Tambun vendors inheriting family businesses and selling beyond their local area reflects survival strategies for communities amid limited formal employment opportunities.

According to Bhima, this generational business pattern is not only part of the social identity of the Tambun community but also demonstrates how the informal sector serves as the primary choice for many families to maintain their economic continuity.

Micro-enterprises are considered to play a dominant role in Indonesia’s informal economy. Currently, more than 90 percent of informal businesses are micro-enterprises that form the mainstay for communities to survive.

“This has become the exit strategy or the most feasible way to survive now,” said Bhima when contacted by Kompas.com via telephone on Monday (13/4/2026).

This situation encourages vendors, including Bubur Tambun sellers, to seek more promising markets in urban areas. They even reach areas in Depok, Bogor, and Tangerang to sell.

“In the end, many travel very far from home because purchasing power around their homes is also declining,” said Bhima.

Bhima views this phenomenon as indicative of structural problems in the economy that could potentially worsen poverty. High operational costs, such as fuel and travel risks, can actually reduce the income of informal workers.

He also emphasised the importance of government support that does not only focus on access to financing but also includes the provision of decent housing and health insurance for informal workers.

Bhima further highlighted the low level of social protection in Indonesia, which is only around 2.5 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), one of the lowest in the ASEAN region.