Tampaksiring for ASEAN meet<\/p>\n
The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali<\/p>\n
Nestling amid the breathtaking scenery of Gianyar's
\nmountainous art village, cool climate and green, terraced, rice
\nfields, Tampaksiring Palace, some 40 kilometers east of Bali's
\nprovincial capital, Denpasar, is ready to welcome 14 heads of
\nstate from ASEAN member countries plus China, Japan, South Korea
\nand India, at a lavish state dinner hosted by President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri on the night of Oct. 7.<\/p>\n
Almost abandoned by former president Soeharto during the New
\nOrder period, many parts of the palace were in a dilapidated
\ncondition, with paint peeling from walls, dusty wooden furniture,
\nthreadbare carpets and dirty floors.<\/p>\n
Renovation to the exterior and interior of buildings,
\ninvolving more than 500 workers, was still ongoing last week to
\ntransform the gloomy palace into a glamorous, yet welcoming
\nretreat for the President and her state guests.<\/p>\n
"All work had to be finished by Friday afternoon (Oct. 3) when
\nIbu Megawati inspected the site," said Sunaryo, one of the
\nworkers who had been toiling round the clock to meet the deadline
\nset by the presidential office in Jakarta.<\/p>\n
The arrival of hundreds of security personnel occasionally
\ndisrupted the renovations. "We have to pass through tightly
\nguarded security checkpoints. They even inspect our nasi bungkus
\n(takeaway rice, meat and vegetables)," a worker complained.<\/p>\n
Originally built in l957, Tampaksiring Palace was the
\nbrainchild of Indonesia's founding president, Sukarno, the late
\nfather of President Megawati. The pristine beauty of the
\nTampaksiring area impressed the half-Balinese Sukarno. Adjacent
\nto the palace is a sacred fountain and Hindu temple, Tirta Empul.
\nConstruction of the four palace compounds was completed in l963.
\nThe palace comprises four main buildings, Wisma Merdeka (3,200
\nsquare meters), Wisma Negara (2,000 square meters), Wisma
\nYudhistira and a large auditorium.<\/p>\n
A 40-meter bridge connects Wisma Merdeka and Wisma Negara. The
\nbridge is known as Jembatan Persahabatan (the bridge of
\nfriendship). Usually, state guests were taken to the bridge to
\nsymbolize the friendship between the host and guest countries.
\nOfficial photo sessions were frequently held there.<\/p>\n
Since Megawati took power in 2001, the palace, once her
\nfather's favorite retreat, received special attention. During
\nSoeharto's days, the First Family hardly ever went to or
\nentertained their guests at the Palace, previously filled with
\nprecious artwork, including classical Balinese paintings, wooden
\ncarvings and statues. Sukarno was known to be an ardent art lover
\nand collector.<\/p>\n
Megawati resurrected the tradition of inviting state guests to
\nthe palace. More than that, she frequently used the palace for
\nfamily purposes.<\/p>\n
The palace, usually open to the public, was closed for
\nrenovation and for security reasons. The decision to temporarily
\nclose the palace has made life difficult for many kiosk vendors.
\nLines of souvenir kiosks, which used to occupy a plot of land
\nnearby the palace, could no longer survive because visitors did
\nnot arrive to buy the handicrafts and other souvenirs they had
\nfor sale.<\/p>\n
"In the past, people could go to the shaded park inside the
\npalace grounds and enjoy a family picnic there. It also attracted
\ntourists and art lovers who could admire the abundant paintings,"
\nsaid a kiosk trader.<\/p>\n
This was in addition to the thousands of Hindu worshipers who
\nvisited Tirta Empul temple during its anniversary, which occurs
\nevery six-and-a-half months, in accordance with the Balinese
\ncalendar.<\/p>\n
In the last few days, hundreds of security officials have
\narrived at the palace to install safety equipment and protect it
\nfrom any possible security threats.<\/p>\n
The route between Nusa Dua and Tampaksiring Palace has been
\nisolated from any possible disturbance. During the rainy season,
\nthe winding and narrow roads heading to the palace will be
\nslippery, creating difficulties for guests' limousines.<\/p>\n
Schools, government offices, small souvenir shops and
\nboutiques located close to the palace will also be closed on Oct.
\n7.<\/p>\n
"I hope that this will be over soon because it will affect
\nsmall businesses. The closure of these roads will also disrupt
\npublic transportation and the people who live in Kintamani, above
\nthe palace," said Gusti Arta.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, students from the junior high school in
\nTampaksiring, located in front of the palace entrance gate,
\nlooked cheerful because the local authority decided that all
\nschools in the area would be closed on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8.<\/p>\n
In Bali, which strongly adheres to Hinduism, all ceremonies,
\nmeetings and gatherings must be preceded by special rituals.<\/p>\n
The current ASEAN Summit meeting is very important to the
\nIndonesian government for it to show to the world that Bali is
\nsafe again. Therefore, religious leaders from all over Bali
\ngathered in Tampaksiring to hold a special ritual to ask for
\npermission and protection from the Divine powers that guard the
\nisland and its people.<\/p>\n
It is hoped that the upcoming state dinner will run smoothly
\nand the respected heads of state can enjoy both the beauty of
\nTampaksiring Palace and the food, of course.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tampaksiring-for-asean-meet-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}