BANGKA — The spirit of mutual cooperation among hundreds of fishermen was strongly visible in the Jelitik Estuary area, Sungailiat. Under the blazing morning sun, fishermen worked side by side filling jumbo bags with beach sand, which will later be used as embankments to prevent abrasion and sediment buildup along the Jelitik estuary channel on Tuesday (26/5/2026).
More than 100 people participated in the community work activity. They were divided into small groups of four to five people to speed up the process of filling one-ton-capacity jumbo bags.
Some were tasked with shoveling sand, while others held the jumbo bags upright during the filling process. Despite the hot weather, the atmosphere remained enthusiastic. Casual conversations and laughter could be heard throughout the activity, reflecting the solidarity and togetherness of the coastal community.
The initiative, organized by PT TIMAH, serves as a temporary effort to reduce sedimentation at the estuary so that fishermen’s boats can enter and exit more safely and easily.
Together with the fishermen, employees of PT TIMAH and members of the Water and Air Police Unit (Satpolairud) of the Bangka Police worked hand in hand filling the jumbo bags provided by the company. These jumbo bags will later function as retaining embankments.
The community work began on Sunday, May 25, and has continued until today. A total of 150 jumbo bags have already been filled and arranged, and today around 500 more jumbo bags are expected to be filled.
One of the fishermen, Marhumin, said the sedimentation problem in the channel has persisted for a long time. He recalled having to wait several times because boats could not enter due to the shallow estuary.
“This community work is for all of us because sedimentation makes it difficult for our boats to enter and leave, so we have to wait for high tide. If the area is dredged, the sand just settles back again. Hopefully, once these jumbo bags are installed as embankments, access to the estuary will become easier,” he said.
A similar statement was shared by Albar (55). He explained that sedimentation at Jelitik Estuary has existed for many years and has greatly affected the activities of thousands of fishermen who depend on the channel.
“Sometimes boats cannot pass through. They can only enter or leave during high tide, but at low tide the boats are obstructed. Fishermen have experienced this for more than a decade,” he stated.
He appreciated the initiative by PT TIMAH in involving the community, fishermen, and miners in jointly seeking a temporary solution to the estuary problem.
“Everyone is moving together, not only fishermen, but miners and local residents are also joining the community work. We are grateful because we all share the same goal — restoring smooth access through the estuary — and PT TIMAH has facilitated this by providing the jumbo bags,” he said.
Albar hopes the effort will continue until there is a permanent solution to the sedimentation problem at Jelitik Estuary.
Another fisherman, Rino, said he had just returned from fishing at dawn and immediately joined fellow fishermen in filling the jumbo bags.
“I just came back from fishing early this morning and received information from friends about the community work to address sedimentation at Jelitik Estuary. For the sake of togetherness, I joined because this is for our shared interest so we will no longer have difficulty entering and leaving the estuary,” he said.
Meanwhile, Patrol Unit Head of the Water Police Unit of Bangka Police, Teguh Hariyanto, stated that his team also supported the community work activity by helping fill the jumbo bags together with the community.
“We from the Water Police Unit are joining the community work together with residents in filling the jumbo bags. We hope this activity runs smoothly so fishermen can safely and smoothly enter and leave the estuary,” he said.
Previously, PT TIMAH had also assisted with dredging efforts in the Jelitik Estuary area as part of a joint initiative to improve access at Jelitik Estuary. (*)
