'Old buildings, museums treated like stepchildren'

The renovation projects for Hotel Indonesia, built in the 1960s to accommodate athletes participating in the fourth Asian Games, and for the 265-year-old Luar Batang mosque, Pasar Ikan, North Jakarta, prove that heritage sites sometimes have to accommodate development. The Jakarta Post talked to some people on what should be done with heritage sites.

Aditia Sudarto, 28, is an associate at a PR company in South Jakarta. He lives in Tanah Kusir, also in South Jakarta:

I prefer to preserve heritage sites in Jakarta, at least their exterior architecture. If they want to upgrade or change the interior, that doesn't really matter.

Such places have historical value and can be interesting to tourists. Old buildings can even serve both as offices and tourist attractions, for instance.

I remember a well-known coffee shop in Bandung, an old white art deco building, where visitors could buy coffee and also enjoy the old building when it was open for business.

It's just too bad if all old buildings are destroyed in the name of development.

Elita, 34, is a journalist with a daily newspaper in Palmerah, West Jakarta. She resides with her family on Jl. HOS Cokroaminoto, Ciledug, Tangerang:

Old buildings and museums are like stepchildren for the city administration. They get only meager funds from the city budget for maintenance, which is nonetheless very costly. That's why we find them unattractive and many are in poor condition.

The administration pays too much attention to erecting new buildings and projects in its development program. It is a glaring irony to know that even developed countries, like Germany and the Netherlands, which I have visited, preserve their old buildings, museums and prioritize conservation policy.

-- The Jakarta Post