"We want to be like the Changcutters," said Tarman, referring to the music band from Bandung, West Java, who gained fame for their 80's style costumes and music.

Tarman and Yudi are among the many newcomers who arrived in Jakarta from their hometown during the annual Idul Fitri exodus and return, in search of the new life.

Both men just arrived from Cirebon, West Java, having with them a combined Rp 1 million (US$104) to survive on while they stay in their relative's house in the Kemanggisan area in Palmerah, West Jakarta.

Tarman said both men planned on busking while job-seeking. Though they aimed to make it as famous musicians he said they were more than willing to work hard as blue collar workers to make it in Jakarta.

"We plan on staying for as long as we can," he said, adding that he did not want to work in his hometown.

Tarman and Yudi's story seems familiar in a city of over 8 million, with perhaps 23 million in its greater area, struggling to make a living.

Officials are wary over the flow of people coming to Jakarta, as their arrival, especially those without work skills, contributes to the city's acute social and environmental problems including unemployment, under-employment, crime, homelessness, poor sanitation and floods.

On Thursday, Deded Sukandar, head of Jakarta's Manpower and Transmigration Agency, announced it would limit issuing yellow cards (to job seekers) only to people with ID Cards or Family Cards issued by the city administration.

Deded announced that the city will raid houses and companies to look for people or workers who cannot provide proper documentation, threatening to send them back to their hometowns.

Also on Thursday, Governor Fauzi Bowo warned that unskilled newcomers should "think twice" before coming to Jakarta.

Jakarta is still a magnet for people from less developed towns and rural areas looking for jobs. This year, the administration estimates the number of job seekers joining the mass return of Jakarta residents after the Idul Fitri exodus, may reach between 150,000 and 200,000.

City Population and Civil Registration Agency head Franky Mangatas Panjaitan said earlier that half of the job seekers would only use Jakarta as a transit city as they are heading to Bogor, Tangerang, Depok and Bekasi, with their major pockets of industry and factories with high demand for unskilled workers. Only half will stay in Jakarta city.

In 2007, 109,000 post-Idul Fitri newcomers were caught without proper documentation, though not all were sent home, as many were only given fines. In 2008 however only 88,473 people arrived in Jakarta just after Idul Fitri.

Whether the actual number of migrants this year compared to last year will be higher or lower is anyone's guess.

What is certain is that for people like Tarman and Yudi, Jakarta remains the only city where their dreams can still come true.

"We're not going back. We're going to make it work and we'll do whatever it takes," Tarman said.

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