Bylaw lauded to preserve capital's historic sites

Bylaw lauded to preserve capital's historic sites

JAKARTA (JP): The city council endorsed on Thursday a bylaw
for the preservation of historic buildings and their surrounding
area in the capital.

During a plenary session, councilors demanded rebuilding the
house on Jl. Pegangsaan Timur 56 which belonged to late founding
president Sukarno. The house held a number of important meetings,
including one which formulated the Proclamation of Independence
on Aug. 17, 1945.

The proclamation was read by Sukarno in the front yard of the
house, which is now a vacant lot used by local children as a
playground.

The councilors, most of whom will leave their posts later this
month, hailed the new bylaw and said that it was hoped historic
buildings in the city would no longer be demolished or undergo
changes such as others in the past.

Spokesman for Commission A for administration and government
affairs Laduni Gaos told the plenary session that "the bylaw is
an improvement to the legal certainty of the preservation of
historic buildings here".

So far, he said, the preservation of the country's assets was
only regulated under a gubernatorial decree, which meant
preservation work on buildings totally relied on the city
governor.

Under the bylaw, the city administration -- not only the
governor -- had the authority to preserve buildings and their
surrounding area even though the properties were owned or
controlled by individuals or companies.

"This means that the original shape of buildings can not be
changed," he said.

According to the bylaw, which consists of 33 articles,
historic buildings are considered to be at least 50 years old and
have an historical, cultural or scientific value.

Natural objects which are considered to have historical,
cultural or scientific value are also covered by the bylaw.

However, there is a maximum penalty of six months in jail or a
Rp 5 million (US$725) fine for those who violate the bylaw.

Based on administration data, the city has 132 historic
buildings, which are home to 52 museums, seven of which belong to
city administration.

During Thursday's session, almost all council factions valued
the urgent need to reconstruct Sukarno's house on Jl. Pegangsaan
Timur, now called Jl. Proklamasi, in Central Jakarta.

They dubbed the building and front yard as "very historical"
for its role during the first Independence Day.

Afif Hamka from the United Development Party (PPP) faction
told the session, "Frankly speaking, we always felt something was
missing around us every time we celebrated Independence Day,
because the building where the proclamation was read was no
longer there."

"In Europe, for instance, buildings related to the Nazi period
of World War II are still preserved even though the places remind
people of bitter experiences in the past," he added.

Meanwhile, Lukman Mokoginta from the Indonesian Democratic
Party (PDI) faction pointed out the need to make the Presidential
Palace, which is also on the list of Jakarta's Historical
Buildings, open to the public.

"We can learn from America with its White House and Russia
with its Kremlin in Moscow, where the buildings are also popular
tourist spots," he said. (ind)