Governor saves the last dance for Monas laser fountain

Governor saves the last dance for Monas laser fountain

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

This year, Jakartans were treated to Rp 15 billion worth of laser
lights in the National Monument (Monas) Park to commemorate the
city's 477th anniversary. Next year, a "dancing water fountain"
will be installed in the park to mark the city's anniversary
celebration.

"The fountain is designed to provide residents with a place to
interact, enjoy recreation and relax amid the hustle and bustle
of life in the capital," Governor Sutiyoso said at City Hall on
Friday.

"The fountain will be a new attraction for tourists visiting
Jakarta."

Great efforts have been made by Governor Sutiyoso to improve
the park, which ironically has been fenced off to the public.
Among his innovations was the introduction of a herd of deer. At
least 30 of the ruminants now roam the park.

Sutiyoso said the construction of the fountain would be fully
financed by a private sector company as part of a barter scheme,
with the firm gaining the right to billboard advertising spots.

"The fountain will not cost the city anything. In addition, we
will also obtain tax revenues from the billboard spots," he said
after a meeting with executives of the PT Media Indra Buana (MIB)
advertising agency.

Previously, PT MIB gained the right to use a number of
billboard spots following the beautification of the Hotel
Indonesia traffic circle in 2002. That project cost Rp 14
billion.

The City Parks Agency, which will be responsible for the new
fountain's construction, has yet to calculate how much it will
cost.

The fountain will feature 14 "dances" accompanied by music,
mostly classical compositions.

Assistant to City Secretary for Development Affairs, Hari
Sanjoyo, said Sutiyoso had ordered that the fountain's
construction be completed before the city anniversary on June 22.

City Council development commission chairman Sayogo
Hendrosubroto said the barter deal had to be transparent and open
so that other private sector parties could also take part.

He said the deal could give rise to public controversy as many
advertising agencies were interested in obtaining the right to
use the billboard spots as most of them were located in strategic
places.

Besides the fountain, the parks agency will be undertaking
another beautification project on Jl. Diponegoro in the plush
Menteng area of Central Jakarta. The agency plans to erect a
giant equestrian statue of national hero Prince Diponegoro, which
will be placed in the center of a fountain in front of Suropati
Park. The statue is a gift from property tycoon Ciputra.

Over the past two years, the administration has been busy
trying to beautify the city. Among the projects undertaken are
the Rp 4 billion renovation of the Arjuna Wijaya statue in front
of the Indosat building and the Rp 3.5 billion construction of
the General Soedirman statue on Jl. Sudirman. None of the deals
were made via tender or in transparent manner.