Kampungs are often portrayed as flooded and poor slum areas that have numerous social problems. However, this is not the case with Glintung, a kampung in Malang, East Java. Bambang Irianto, 61, and other local residents have transformed the kampung into an advanced and environmentally friendly neighborhood. For his efforts, the government recognized Bambang in August 2018 with the Kalpataru Award.
Although somewhat obscured by billboards, a round sign reading “Glintung Go Green (3G)” welcomes visitors at the mouth of a green alley on Jl. Letjen S. Parman in central Malang. Thousands of plants grace the area, from potted plants to hanging plants decorating residential terraces, to hydroponic pipes to vertical gardens adorning fences.
The kampung, which is bordered by a highway to the west and a railroad to the east, a minor road to the north and a small river to the south, looks clean and well organized as far as the eye can see, including its alleys. Small signposts for Rumah Prestasi, biopore and micro hydro stand in the area inhabited by 303 families, or 1,080 people. At first glance, passersby might overlook the potential of Glintung in Purwantoro village, Blimbing district, because shops and a car showroom block their view. As a matter of fact, the kampung currently has at least 7 infiltration wells, 700 standard biopores, 200 jumbo biopores and 200 super-jumbo biopores.
These biopores and infiltration wells are apparently able to harvest 100,000 liters of water each time it rains. Because of these facilities, the kampung – renowned as the first center of tempeh chip production in Malang – has escaped flooding since 2013.
Aside from infiltration wells and biopores, Glitung also has a small micro hydropower plant with a 1,800-watt power capacity. Donated by Perum Jasa Tirta, the power plant channels the water from the small river that flows through the kampung. Glintung also has several selfie spots like Eco Edu Park BRI, Lorong Konservasi and Rumah Prestasi that operate out of Bambang’s house.
Glintung won a number of local and national awards for these innovations. Bambang – who has led the campaign for environmental conservation in the kampung – has even won an international award.
The latest award, conferred by the Environment and Forestry Ministry on Oct. 24, 2018, recognized Glintung as a Major Pro-Climate Kampung. Before that, in August, Bambang received Kalpataru in the category of Environmental Development. In 2017, Home Minister Tjahjo Kumolo granted Glintung the status of Water Conservation Kampung.
“In 2016, I was selected as an innovator to the Guangzhou International Urban Innovation Conference 2016. Fifteen cities were chosen. My innovation was water banking. This is suitable for urban areas and is considered an inspiring innovation to be applied to urban areas,” he said.
Saving water
Bambang said it all began when he was elected as the head of the RW 023 neighborhood unit in 2013. Knowing that Glintung experienced frequent floods, it occurred to Bambang to install biopores. Because he did not understand how to do this, Bambang requested assistance from Brawijaya University’s engineering school.
Under a mentorship program, 100 biopores were installed using Paralon pipes along the alleys that crisscrossed the neighborhood. The neighborhood’s residents installed additional biopores by using used paint tubs of 5 kilograms (jumbo) and 25 kg (super jumbo). They also planted various kinds of ornamental plants to supplement the biopores.
Three years later, the water level in household wells had risen as a result of the reforestation efforts. The middle of the kampung stays cool in the afternoon. “A new spring emerged in the next kampung, so the program came to be called the water saving movement [Gemar],” said Bambang, who had pioneered the effort and is also a director at a famous tourist attraction in Batu.
Bambang said he employed a particular strategy for change, by first changing the people\'s mindset. Public familiarization and other programs urged the residents to innovate. “If some people don’t want to [innovate], yes, we leave them be. Once they see the results, they will be moved to participate on their own,” said the father of three.
He added that the kampung’s residents continued to change. The efforts to reorganize the kampung did not always run smoothly. Sometimes there are hiccups and disturbances, but these are not obstructions. For example, he said that some people who initially agreed with the initiative changed their minds to oppose it. Likewise, those who initially opposed now supported the plans.
Bambang also had to deal with the owner of the car showroom, who objected to the residents’ use of local public facilities for selling goods. However, the dispute finally ended peacefully after the district administration stepped in to mediate. “Sometimes, some individuals do not like the plants and damage them,” he said.
The kampung and alleys inside have their own unique value for Bambang. In the view of Brawijaya University’s agriculture alumni, most urban residents live in kampungs. In Malang alone, 45 percent of its residents live in kampungs.
“So far, kampung residents have been considered second-class citizens. In fact, that is simply the area where they reside and live as other city residents do. I certainly come from a kampung, but I’m sorry, I’m no kampungan [yokel],” said Bambang, who hopes to contribute to developing the country from the alleys of his kampung.
To support a green Glintung, Bambang has provided the use of his home as Rumah Prestasi (house of achievements). Aside from becoming the neighborhood’s central hall, Rumah Prestasi houses the dozens trophies and awards the kampung has earned.
Also at Rumah Prestasi, visitors from different regions, especially from government agencies, can learn about environmental management, including how to make turn a kampung’s alleys into a living green environment as they are in Glintung. Glintung has been transformed into an edutourism kampung. To date, 90 percent of its visitors have come to learn about kampung development.
“What I have contributed is not only environmental infrastructure, but also knowledge, social
engineering and innovations to change the community’s mindset. I offer this knowledge on how to develop a kampung so that we don’t become disempowered through development or engage in development that has a harmful impact,” he said.
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