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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Culture & Society

Viral Video Sparks Confusion Over Village Cooperative Built Near Cemetery

From CNN Indonesia · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A 43-second viral video appeared to show the Merah Putih Village Cooperative building surrounded by graves in Cigobang, Cirebon, prompting questions on social media.
  • Cigobang village chief M. Abdul Zei said the building stands on separate village-owned land and that the cemetery path shown in the video is only an alternative route.
  • He said the cooperative’s main entrance lies on a wider road west of the building, following a location agreed through a village deliberation process.

A narrow path winding between graves made it look as though the Merah Putih Village Cooperative in Cigobang had been built inside a public cemetery. A 43-second video posted on social media showed the path leading toward the building, prompting a woman in the recording to exclaim, "What is this, a village cooperative? The village cooperative is in a cemetery, guys."

What is this, a village cooperative? The village cooperative is in a cemetery, guys.

· Woman in the viral videoThe comment helped fuel the impression that the cooperative building stood inside the cemetery.

M. Abdul Zei, the chief of Cigobang village in Pasaleman district, Cirebon, West Java, rejected that impression. He said the cooperative building stands on village-owned land outside the cemetery complex and that the route shown in the video is not the main access road.

I will clarify the issue that went viral on social media, on TikTok, that the main access road to the Cigobang Village Cooperative goes through the cemetery. That is completely wrong. The location is also not inside the cemetery area.

· M. Abdul ZeiThe village chief disputed the video’s apparent depiction of the cooperative’s location.

The path does exist and residents can use it, Abdul Zei said, particularly schoolchildren and people traveling by bicycle or motorcycle. Cars cannot pass through the narrow route. It begins near Cigobang village hall, continues toward the cemetery, and turns left, making it a cemetery access path rather than the cooperative’s primary entrance.

The road is an alternative route for residents and schoolchildren because it is close to a school.

· M. Abdul ZeiHe explained why people can be seen using the path through the cemetery area.

The main road lies west of the building. Abdul Zei described it as a much wider route used for cooperative operations and as a connection to nearby farmland. He acknowledged that the building stands next to the cemetery, but said the site followed a formal village deliberation and an agreement between the village government and cooperative managers. The village provided the land because officials considered the location accessible and convenient for residents.

The main road is on the west side. Next to the cooperative on the western road, there is a large road. That is the main access road to the Cigobang Village Cooperative.

· M. Abdul ZeiHe identified the wider road as the cooperative’s official entrance.
About this summary

Originally published by CNN Indonesia in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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