Yogya's Malioboro to undergo massive face-lift<\/p>\n
By Tjahjono Ep<\/p>\n
YOGYAKARTA (JP): For past visitors to Yogyakarta, Malioboro is
\nprobably the street they remember best. Built by Sultan
\nHamengkubuwono I in 1757, Malioboro is the most famous tourist
\nhaunt for buying traditional souvenirs and dining.<\/p>\n
But the bustling one-kilometer-long boulevard, located in the
\nheart of the ancient city to the north of the Yogyakarta palace,
\nhas lost its mystical grandeur. A commercial invasion almost
\ndestroyed its \"mystical soul\" from 1975 to 1982.<\/p>\n
Malioboro underwent radical changes. Ancient buildings were
\ntorn down to make way for the road expansion project. Modern
\nbuildings like multistory hotels, shopping malls and movie
\ntheaters mushroomed. Centuries-old shady tamarind trees were
\nindiscriminately felled and replaced with palm trees.<\/p>\n
Destruction of the old Malioboro occurred despite strong
\nprotests from local artists and intellectuals who had for many
\nyears made the street their place to muse and gain inspiration.<\/p>\n
Malioboro once stretched from Gedung Agung in the south to the
\nTugu traffic circle, about 2 km away, in the north. But when Tugu
\nRailway Station was built in 1888 right in its center, the
\nnorthern half became known by a different name.<\/p>\n
From the outset, Malioboro was designed to be a center for
\nYogyakarta's economic activities. In the course of time, however,
\nhouses were built on both sides of the boulevard.<\/p>\n
At the southern end was Beringharjo market. Another market,
\nPasar Kembang, was also built at the northern end. This market
\nwas formerly a nursery producing flowers used in traditional
\nrituals at the palace. Today, Kembang is a notorious red-light
\ndistrict.<\/p>\n
In the center, there was Dalem Kepatihan Danurejan, an office
\nwhere royal officials supervised trade activities on Malioboro.<\/p>\n
Malioboro has been redesigned several times over the years.
\nThe first renovation occurred in 1813 and was initiated by Sri
\nSultan Hamengkubuwono III. The project was implemented by regent
\nSecodiningrat I, an aristocrat of Chinese descent whose given
\nname was Tan Jien Sing.<\/p>\n
Malioboro continued changing in the course of time. Now the
\nfamous street remains a commercial district, modern but chaotic.
\nTall buildings obstruct the view of Mount Merapi from the south.
\nThousands of street vendors have made Malioboro a giant market;
\nbusy traffic not only worsens the problem but also pollutes the
\nair.<\/p>\n
Sadly, Malioboro's beauty belongs as something of the past.<\/p>\n
Bowing to the demand from all those longing for Malioboro's
\npast romanticism, the government is planning to reshape the
\nstreet, with the aim to \"restore Malioboro's soul\".<\/p>\n
Rick L. Frenkel, a Swiss consultant on the project, said
\nMalioboro's original function and characteristics changed mainly
\nbecause of the many motorized vehicles. Busiest of all is
\nSaturday evenings when up to 4,000 vehicles jam the street.<\/p>\n
Only 26 percent have business on the street and the others are
\nmerely passing by. Sidewalks are now occupied by the ubiquitous
\nvendors or used as motorcycle parking lots.<\/p>\n
The project will begin with the reorganization of traffic.
\nFurther steps will be to rearrange the spatial use to help
\neconomically empower the people.<\/p>\n
Provincial officials are tight lipped about the cost of the
\nproject, which is scheduled to be completed by the year 2000. But
\none source said it is a multi-million dollar project with the
\nmoney coming from the local government and foreign donors.<\/p>\n
Three major problems hamper the management of Malioboro.
\nFirst, economic activities which have reached a point of
\nsaturation because every inch of the street is used. Second, the
\nwidening gap between the \"roadside community\" and the community
\ninside the residential areas. Third, degradation of the
\nenvironment because of the absence of trees.<\/p>\n
Exacerbating the situation is the construction of new
\nbuildings whose design defies the original philosophy of
\nMalioboro, for harmony and communication between the subjects and
\nthe king, and between city leaders and businesspeople.<\/p>\n
To optimize Malioboro as a center for development of culture,
\ntourism and business, Sultan Hamengkubuwono X, in his capacity as
\nYogyakarta governor, has proposed that Malioboro be closed to
\nmotorized vehicles. Only pedicabs, horse-drawn carts and bicycles
\nwould be allowed to enter the road section between the Tugu
\nRailway Station entrance gate in the north and Vredenberg in the
\nsouth.<\/p>\n
Malioboro will be made a site where visitors will have a
\nbetter place for business, cultural and leisure activities
\nwithout the hassles of traffic, noise and air pollution.<\/p>\n
Visitors' motor vehicles would be parked at four parking areas
\nto be built around Malioboro with total acreage of three
\nhectares. The parking lots are planned for nearby Jl. Dagen, Jl.
\nPajeksan, Jl. Suryataman and Jl. Mataram.<\/p>\n
The long-term goal of the project is to open more business
\nopportunities on Malioboro. Street vendors will be accommodated
\nin well-arranged decorated tents.<\/p>\n
Areas between the palace-Tugu-Jl. Cokroaminoto and Dr. Wahidin
\nwill be made heritage conservation sites. Malioboro's western
\nside will be designated industrial centers.<\/p>\n
Tugu and Lempuyangan railway stations will be reactivated and
\nservice for tourists will be improved. Under the new provincial
\nmaster plan, Bantul in the south and Kaliurang in the north are
\nearmarked as agricultural buffer zones.<\/p>\n
Consultants and officials assert that the Malioboro renovation
\nproject will not tear down the existing buildings, but will only
\nmake things better organized and more beautiful for future
\nvisitors.<\/p>\n
The project has received cautious response from the affected
\nvendors.<\/p>\n
\"I don't mind as long as it can bring prosperity to us,\" said
\nYatmi, a 55-year-old souvenir seller.<\/p>\n
Martono, 38, a food vendor, said he was aware of the plan. He
\nsaid he hoped the project would not evict any vendor because the
\nbasic idea was \"beautification\" of Malioboro.<\/p>\n
\"We will be glad if Malioboro is renovate but we will oppose
\nany project that will require our eviction,\" added Mujimin, 27,
\nanother vendor.<\/p>",
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