Kartini statue to go to Monas

JAKARTA: The Kartini statue will be moved to the eastern part of the National Monument (Monas) park from its site on Jl. Pangeran Diponegoro in Central Jakarta.

The decision was made on Thursday after Governor Sutiyoso met Japanese ambassador Yutaka Iimura at City Hall. The statue was a gift from the Japanese government in 1963.

The city initially planned to move the statue to the new Srikandi Park in Menteng, with a new statue of Diponegoro taking up the vacant spot.

Heritage lovers and historians had opposed the move.

"The ambassador is happy with the latest decision. It (the relocation) would not reduce the historical value of the Japanese and Indonesian relationship," Sutiyoso said. -- JP