The relocation of thousands of graves in Kapuk Teko Cemetery, Cengkareng, West Jakarta, which planned to be finished in upcoming September, is confirmed to be behind schedule. At this time, West Jakarta Cemeteries Sub-Department is still waiting for the relocation budget proposed in the 2014 City Budget Amendment (APBDP) disbursed.

Since there is no budget, we had to wait. We’re not like public works sub-department that has emergency budget

Head of Corpse Transportation and Care Section for West Jakarta Cemeteries Sub-Department, Nasrun Lubis, admitted does not know yet when the relocation of 3,810 graves to Tegal Alur Cemetry, Kalideres, West Jakarta, would be done because the relocation budget as much as Rp 5 billion has not been disbursed yet. For the relocation work, it takes time for about 90 days.

“Since the budget has not been disbursed yet, we’re targeting those graves to be relocated in upcoming mid December,” he stated,” Tuesday (8/19).

Previously, West Jakarta Cemeteries Sub-Department has opened registration for the heirs to relocate their family members’ graves. Until the registration closed last August 4, about 300 heirs of 20 percent of the graves request to be relocated. The rest of the graves are categorized unknown and had to be relocated in mass. For the technical, the department will coordinate with Indonesia Ulema Council (MUI).

For information, budget as much as Rp 500 million and hundreds of workers had been deployed to dry the flood that inundated Kapuk Teko Cemetery. In last April-May, West Jakarta Water Management Public Works Sub-Department had dried Kampung Apung, an area as wide as two hectares where Kapuk Teko is located, and 3,810 graves using that budget. However, the efforts seemed to be useless because the cemetery now has inundated again because West Jakarta Cemeteries Sub-Department did not immediately relocate those graves.

“Useless? Not really, because when the cemetery was dried we confirmed that those graves still exist and must be relocated. But since there is no budget, we had to wait. We’re not like public works sub-department that has emergency budget,” reasoned Lubis.