Parapat palace, Sukarno's former residence<\/p>\n
Apriadi Gunawan, The Jakarta Post, Parapat, Medan<\/p>\n
Just like Digul, Bangka and other towns that have gone down in
\nhistory as places where Indonesia's first president Sukarno was
\nexiled to by Dutch colonial rulers, the North Sumatra town of
\nParapat boasts that it was one of them.<\/p>\n
Located about 165 kilometers from the provincial capital of
\nMedan, the town is home to a palace where Sukarno had to stay in
\nduring his exile.<\/p>\n
Built some 10 meters above ground, the palace overlooks Lake
\nToba, only some 75 meters away, allowing visitors to enjoy the
\nbeauty of the lake.<\/p>\n
Sukarno, who was exiled here along with another national
\nleader, Agus Salim, stayed in the palace for three months in
\n1948. As written in the history books, shortly after these two
\nleaders left the palace, another leader, Sutan Syahrir, was
\nbanished here, too.<\/p>\n
Andi Misdi, who has been taking care of the palace for 28
\nyears, said that previously, the palace, which was built in 1910
\non a plot of land measuring some 2 hectares, was a Dutch estate
\nadministration office.<\/p>\n
With the end of Dutch colonial rule in Indonesia, the palace
\nbecame an asset of the North Sumatra provincial administration.<\/p>\n
As this historical building is the pride of the people of
\nNorth Sumatra, particularly residents of Parapat, the local
\nadministration has done many things to preserve it, including its
\nrenovation.<\/p>\n
Misdi said the renovation did not alter the original layout of
\nthe building since most of the work was done to repair its walls.<\/p>\n
\"Most of the palace walls had decayed and had to be repainted
\nafter they put up new wooden planks,\" said Misdi.<\/p>\n
The palace's two-story main building measures 15 meters by 14
\nmeters with a separate kitchen at the back. Flowers, elaborately
\nlandscaped, surround the entire palace.<\/p>\n
On the first floor of the main building, visitors can find a
\nsitting room where guests were entertained. There are bedrooms on
\neach side of this room.<\/p>\n
On the second floor, there is another bedroom that is slightly
\nlarger than those on the first floor.<\/p>\n
In front of the building, there is an open veranda where one
\ncan take in the beautiful scenery of Lake Toba.<\/p>\n
\"Former president Sukarno used the bedroom on the first floor,
\nthe one on the left side of the sitting room,\" explained Misdi,
\nadding that during his exile, Sukarno always enjoyed looking at
\nLake Toba from the palace's upper veranda.<\/p>\n
Today, the palace is used as a place where high-ranking state
\nofficials can rest and enjoy the beauty of Lake Toba.<\/p>\n
Misdi said that former information minister Harmoko, former
\nhealth minister Adiyatma, former state minister of public housing
\nCosmas Batubara and former state minister of environment Emil
\nSalim were among the officials that had visited the palace.<\/p>\n
\"The palace is under the local administration's management.
\nMany of the administration's guests, particularly high-ranking
\nstate officials and local administration officials like the
\ngovernor and his deputy, have spent the night here,\" Misdi said.<\/p>\n
When asked whether any members of Sukarno's family had visited
\nthe palace, Misdi said that so far, only his son, Guruh
\nSoekarnoputra, had and that was back in 1983.<\/p>\n
\"Our President should also come to see the place where her
\nfather spent his time in exile,\" Misdi said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/parapat-palace-sukarnos-former-residence-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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