City celebrates 474th anniversary

JAKARTA (JP): Governor Sutiyoso kicked off on Friday the one- month celebration of the city's 474th anniversary, which falls on June 22.

He launched the celebration at a ceremony held in a Betawi (Jakarta native) culture preservation area in Setu Babakan, Srengseng Sawah, South Jakarta.

"I hope all the festivities will make Jakartans love the city more and boost togetherness and social discipline," the governor said.

The city administration plans to make Setu Babakan a model for the preservation of Betawi culture.

Sutiyoso said the area would be developed as a tourist destination featuring Betawi architecture, language, dances and plays.

"When the development of the Betawi area is completed, the area will become an information center about Betawi culture," the governor said without giving a date when the development was expected to be completed.

The chairman of the Native Jakartans Association (Bamus Betawi), Abdul Syukur, approved of the administration's decision to develop the area.

He is hopeful the plan will be realized, unlike a similar idea for the Condet area, since the city administration has issued a regulation on the matter.

Syukur said the effort to make Condet in East Jakarta a Betawi culture preservation area failed because it was not backed by a city regulation.

"So many Betawi houses were demolished or sold by the owners (to non-Betawi) but the administration could do nothing," Syukur said on the sidelines of the ceremony.

He said the city administration issued a regulation stipulating that the construction of new buildings in Setu Babakan required a permit from the administration, and had to be built according to the style of Betawi architecture.

He said any new buildings which violated the regulation would be torn down.

The festivities for the city's anniversary include JakArt 2001, which starts this month. The art festival will take place at the Taman Ismail Marzuki arts center, the Jakarta Playhouse and the Utan Kayu Theater, and will feature both local and foreign artists.

Another event is the Kebun Sirih Night Tour, which will take place on Saturday evening on Jl. Jaksa in Central Jakarta. Betawi souvenirs and food will be sold during the event and traditional dances will be performed along the street, which is famous with backpackers for its low-cost motels.

The anniversary celebrations will be highlighted by the annual one-month Jakarta Fair, starting on June 15. The fair will feature art and cultural performances, as well as serving as a trade and promotion fair. It will be held at the Kemayoran airport in Central Jakarta. (jun)