Who Is Haji Lulung Who Died Today: Once A Scavenger Until Rival Ahok

JAKARTA - At 10.51 today, December 14, PPP politician Abraham Lunggana or known as Haji Lulung passed away. He breathed his last in Harapan Kita Hospital. The following is a profile of a figure who is known as a rival to the former governor of DKI Jakarta, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok.

"We have just received the sad news. The chairman of the DKI PPP DPW, brother Haji Lulung, has passed away," said PPP DPP chairman Achmad Baidowi to reporters, Tuesday, December 14. Previously, Lulung had been lying in hospital for the past few weeks due to a heart attack.

The man who was born on July 24, 1959 is the seventh of eleven children. His father, Ibrahim Tjilang, was a BKR soldier with the rank of Peltu. While his mother, is a descendant of KH. Abdullah Syafi'i, a founder of the Asy-Shafiiyyah Islamic College.

The origin of the name "Lulung" stems from his hobby of always helping his friends as a child. As told by Lulung as quoted by Kompas.com, at that time he was used to helping his friend while playing ball, and the ball went into the gutter.

Lulung is a person who always wants to pick up the ball that goes into the gutter. "If it goes into the sewer, I have to take it, if not I cry," said Lulung. "Finally called Lulung because yes, there are many nulung (helps)."

According to various sources, the name Haji Lulung is already known to the people of Tanah Abang because he controls various business sectors there. Starting from parking owners, owning security companies, cooperatives, advocacy, to kiosk rentals.

Some of the companies are PT Putraja Perkasa, PT Tirta Jaya Perkasa, PT Satu Komando Nusantara, PT Tujuh Fajar Gemilang to the Kobita Cooperative. He also has an advocate called Lunggana Advocate & Friends. The employees are said to reach up to 7,000 people.

Lulung's success was not without struggle. Because before having thousands of employees, as reported by IDX Channel, he was a scavenger of cardboard and used goods. This he did to provide for his siblings and his mother.

His fate began to change in 1996. At that time there was a conflict between the Timorese group led by Hercules Rozario and Muhammad Yusuf alias Bang Ucu. Hercules at that time became the ruler of Tanah Abang.

Then after Hercules was secured by the police, Bang Ucu controlled the Tanah Abang area and helped Haji Lulung. Since then, Haji Lulung's life began to lift. Haji Lulung also later became active in community organizations such as Gerak Betawi, Pemuda Panca Marga to Bamus Betawi.

During his lifetime Haji Lulung was affiliated with three political parties. He started his political career with PPP. However, he briefly left PPP when it split in 2002.

At that time he moved to the Reform Star Party (PBR). At that time he served as Chairman of the West Jakarta PBR DPC.

After the 2004 General Election, Haji Lulung returned to PPP and was elected as Chairman of the Central Jakarta PPP DPC. Haji Lulung's career in politics began to improve after being elected to the DKI Jakarta DPRD for 2 consecutive periods in 2009-2014 and 2014-2019.

In his second term, Haji Lulung was elected as Deputy Chairman of the DKI Jakarta DPRD. That's when his name began to be in the spotlight because he often clashed with Ahok, the Governor of DKI Jakarta at that time.

The relationship between Haji Lulung and Ahok became heated, one of which was after the DKI government planned to organize the Tanah Abang Market. Haji Lulung, who is known to control the parking lot in the area, was furious when Ahok said that the difficulty of controlling Tanah Abang was due to the presence of thugs who were the backers of the illegal traders there.

But recently Ahok denied ever releasing such a statement. But whatever Ahok's explanation, as the informal ruler of Tanah Abang, Haji Lulung may feel he is being sarcastic.

Continuing with Haji Lulung's career, in 2018, he joined the National Mandate Party (PAN) to run as a member of the legislature of that party. However, still, he could not move on from the political party that raised him. Haji Lulung then rejoined PPP.

*Read other information about LULUNG read another interesting article from Ramdan Febrian Arifin.