Illegal Street Signage in Malioboro Area Exposed
The Yogyakarta City Government has ensured that there is only one official street sign in the Malioboro area. Consequently, if multiple signs are found, they are confirmed to be unauthorised and not issued by the City Government. The presence of illegal signage has been a point of complaint among tourists, as certain photographers have been using them to generate profit. Therefore, the City Government will carry out enforcement actions against these illegal signs to prevent exploitation by certain individuals.
Deputy Mayor of Yogyakarta, Wawan Harmawan, revealed that only one official sign currently exists, which was issued by the Department of Transportation (Dishub). Speaking to reporters at the Kepatihan Complex in Yogyakarta on Tuesday, Wawan stated, “Many people are creating their own Malioboro signs. That should not be allowed. There should only be the one official sign in front of Malioboro,” and added, “The only official sign is the one issued by Dishub.”
He emphasised that the authorities will take firm action to regulate illegal signage. The objective is not to prohibit the public from creating Malioboro-themed decorations, but to ensure that no road signs are present that could confuse the public due to a lack of official authorisation. “We will enforce order regarding the signs. The important thing is that the signs must be official. If they are not official, they are not allowed. However, if it is for decoration and not as a road sign, that is fine,” he explained.
He noted that the Civil Service Police Unit (Satpol PP) and the Malioboro Management Unit (UPT) will be involved in this enforcement. Wawan stressed that because these signs function as road indicators, they must be officially issued as they serve the public interest. “If the function is as a road indicator, it must be officially issued. If it is just for decoration, that is fine, but it cannot serve as a road sign. Therefore, it will be regulated. There is no ban on making decorations; we just want Yogyakarta to remain safe and comfortable.”
Separately, the Head of the Yogyakarta City Satpol PP, Octo Noor Arafat, stated that his unit will conduct enforcement if illegal signs are discovered. He noted that they would work alongside the Jogomaton team and the Malioboro UPT using a persuasive and humanistic approach.
Previously, the Head of the Yogyakarta City Cultural Heritage Area Management UPT, Fitria Dyah Anggraeni, identified the locations of the official Malioboro street signs, which are popular photo spots for tourists. She noted that the dark green signs, featuring Latin and Javanese script, are permanently installed at four locations: the northern end of Malioboro Street in front of Bank BPD DIY, in front of the former Teras Malioboro 2, in front of Plaza Malioboro, and at the Pajeksan intersection. She hopes this information will guide tourists and help reduce overcrowding at single locations.