Landhuis building designated a museum

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration has decided to use the Landhuis historical building on Jl. Bekasi Timur in East Jakarta for a home affairs government museum, an official said on Thursday.

The property, protected under the 1993 Gubernatorial Decree on national trust buildings in the capital, was vacated in stages last year by the East Jakarta Military district command, who used it as their office since 1953.

Hadi Utomo, head of the city public order office, said the local military office was moved to a new site in Klender.

In an exchange deal, the city administration spent a total of Rp 11.8 billion to provide, among other things, the 4,980-square- meter site for the military command.

Facilities include a construction of a new four-story East Jakarta Military district office, and four official residences for its commander, chief of staff, and chief of garrison, Hadi said on the sidelines after a handover ceremony which marked the final stage of the exchange deal. The ceremony was attended by Governor Sutiyoso and Jakarta Military commander Djadja Suparman at City Hall.

No city officials, including Hadi, could give any details on the planned museum as of Thursday.

According to Bangunan Cagar Budaya di DKI Jakarta a book issued by the city administration in 1995, the 5,600-square-meter Landhuis building was built in the 19th century.

Years before it was used by the military, the building was a regency office under Dutch colonial rule from 1939 to 1942.

Another book under the same title issued by the administration stated that the building was initially used as a residential villa for Regent Meester Cornelis in the early 20th century.

Nowadays, the monumental building with a European-style facade stands amid scores of sidewalk vendors. (ind)