Thousands arriving in Jakarta from rural areas after Hari Raya to seek jobs face urban challenges

FILE PHOTO: A view of a traffic jam during morning rush hour in Jakarta, Indonesia, May 22, 2024. The rural-to-city movements are closely monitored by the authorities in the Big Durian as officials need to plan for the annual arrivals, which could strain housing and job availability. - Reuters

JAKARTA: Andri Prihatin has been patiently unloading sacks of rice and bottled water in the past week at a neighbourhood grocery store in Jakarta, leaving behind his wife and two toddlers nearly 300km away, in search of a better life for his family.

The former worker at a tofu factory in Tegal in Central Java province aims to find a permanent job as a shop assistant, and perhaps further down the road, open a roadside stall selling fried catfish.