Lombok Tourism Polytechnic on standby to assist residents affected by Sade Village fire
Tourism Minister Widiyanti Putri Wardhana has instructed the Lombok Tourism Polytechnic (Poltekpar Lombok) to be involved in providing assistance to residents affected by the fire that struck the traditional village of Sade, Rambitan Village, Pujut District, Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara.
“The implementation will be carried out in a coordinated manner and we are currently awaiting direction from the Central Lombok Regency Forkopimda so that assistance can be delivered precisely on target and does not overlap with ongoing handling efforts,” said Widiyanti in an official statement confirmed in Jakarta on Sunday.
Widiyanti said Poltekpar Lombok will open a public kitchen to support the consumption needs of the affected community, as well as prepare other forms of assistance according to needs on the ground.
In addition, the Ministry of Tourism will continue to coordinate with relevant parties to identify appropriate handling measures that match the needs in the field.
The central government, regional government, and the indigenous community of Sade Village will ensure that Sade Traditional Village is reconstructed and rebuilt as quickly as possible after being struck by the severe fire.
She said the recovery process must place the Sade community as the main stakeholder while still paying attention to cultural values, local wisdom, and the authenticity of traditional Sasak architecture that has long been the identity of the area.
“Our priority now is the community. Once the emergency situation is handled, we will together think about its recovery. We want Sade to rise again without losing its identity as a living space and cultural heritage of the Sasak people,” said Widiyanti.
She continued that the Ministry of Tourism’s attention to Sade is not solely because the area is one of the leading tourist destinations in Lombok.
“Sade is not merely a tourist destination. Sade is the home of the community, a living space for Sasak culture, as well as an important part of Indonesia’s tourism wealth. Therefore, the sorrow of the Sade community is also our shared sorrow,” she said.
She was also grateful that there were no fatalities in the incident. However, the fire has had a major impact on the community, with hundreds of houses reported affected and the extent of damage still being assessed by the regional government.
“We express our deepest concern to all residents of Sade Traditional Village who have been affected. The most important thing now is to ensure residents are safe and that the basic needs of the community can be met immediately,” Widiyanti concluded.