Anthropology Association: Supervision of Cultural Heritage Remains Weak

Chair of the Indonesian Anthropology Association Suraya Afiff has assessed that weak supervision and enforcement of regulations have caused many cultural heritage sites in Indonesia to fall into the hands of irresponsible parties. As a result, a number of historic buildings and sites have been demolished, repurposed, or have lost their significant value without any sanctions. According to Suraya, protecting cultural heritage is not sufficient through regulation alone; it must also ensure that historic sites do not fall to parties who disregard conservation values. This was conveyed during a Public Hearing of the House of Representatives Working Committee on the Protection and Utilisation of Cultural Heritage at the People’s Representative Council in Kebon Sirih, Central Jakarta, on Thursday, 2 June 2026. “Many sites have unclear security measures, so how do we ensure these sites do not fall into irresponsible hands,” Suraya said. According to Suraya, the problem is exacerbated by weak implementation of rules when development interests clash with conservation. She cited the example of the KONI Building in Central Kalimantan, which was ultimately demolished despite having undergone a lengthy study by experts and facing opposition from various groups. “In fact, architect colleagues had completed a comprehensive study, but it was still demolished in the end. This raises the question: when something like this is done, what exactly is the sanction?” she said. Executive Director of the Centre for Architecture Documentation Nadia Purwestri added that weak supervision is also evident from the rampant demolition of cultural heritage buildings in various regions. According to her, regulations are actually available, but implementation on the ground remains weak. “What is lacking is how regional and central governments carry out monitoring and supervision so that cultural heritage buildings are not neglected first and then demolished,” Nadia said. Nadia cited the demolition of an important cultural heritage building in Gorontalo, which sparked protests from various professional organisations. However, to date, similar cases are rarely seen to result in law enforcement. Furthermore, changes in land use in the Menteng cultural heritage area and development along transit-oriented development corridors are also considered to be increasingly pressuring the existence of historic buildings. In Kebayoran Baru, she said, two houses with jengki architecture are now squeezed between high-rise buildings, while in Menteng, a number of heritage houses have been forced to be sold and even demolished due to high land and building tax burdens.