Opponents fault plan to erect heroes monuments

Opponents fault plan to erect heroes monuments

JAKARTA (JP): The city administration's plan to erect
monuments of several national heroes on major streets in the
capital bearing their names has met with outspoken opposition.

Contacted separately by The Jakarta Post on Monday, these
critics urged Governor Sutiyoso to drop the plan because the
monuments would do nothing to enhance the city or the lives of
Jakartans.

They also suggested Sutiyoso and the city administration use
the funds earmarked for the project to clean up the city's
streets, parks and rivers.

"What's the use of such monuments? It's more important to
follow the attitudes and deeds (of these national heroes), rather
than building statues for them," city councilor Soleh Rachman of
the National Mandate Party (PAN) faction said.

Arsono, a sculptor who has created many of the statues in
Jakarta and who is currently making a replica of the city's famed
Hermes statue, said the monuments, which would be placed at the
tip of the streets' medians, would have no appeal.

"The people would not be able to see them properly," he said.

Suryono Herlambang, a lecturer at the Department of
Architecture at Tarumanagara University, said: "I don't see any
clear concept behind the plan. If it's meant to educate people
about their heroes, will the people be able to recognize the
monuments if they are placed on such busy thoroughfares."

Yori Antar of Young Architects of Indonesia and a city
planning observer said: "I am worried that the idea of creating
such monuments to the late heroes would only give the impression
of authoritarianism similar to Russia."

The head of the City Park Agency, Syafril Zainuddin, said
earlier the governor had instructed his office to come up with a
proposal for erecting statues of several late national heroes,
including Gen. Sudirman, M.H. Thamrin and Imam Bonjol.

The monuments are expected to be funded by the private sector.

"We will find sponsors for the monuments without having to
disturb the city budget," Syafril said last Thursday when
announcing the agency's ambitious Rp 11.9 billion (US$1.65
million) city beautification project for the 2000 fiscal year.

No way

Councilor Soleh said he fully supported the beautification
project, but not the monuments.

"It will be more effective if private firms (use their funds
to) clean the rivers in Jakarta or keep the parks in front of
their buildings tidy.

"By doing this, city residents would be able to see and enjoy
(the benefits)," he said.

"Take cleaning the rivers, for example. The companies can hire
local residents to clean the rivers every day or pay the
residents to regularly clean the rivers," he proposed.

The firms could also pay residents to plant and care for trees
in the city's parks, Soleh added. "Can erecting monuments provide
such advantages?"

Suryono urged the Sutiyoso administration to use the money
from the private sector to widen the sidewalks along the
capital's main streets. "Main thoroughfares should have wider
sidewalks."

Yori expressed concern the monuments would become useless
accessories. "If the monuments were accompanied by detailed
descriptions of the heroes, would the people read them?"

He suggested the administration focus on creating more public
parks in Jakarta.

But councilors H.A.H. Ishak of the National Awakening Party
(PKB) faction and Josef Mangondow Kabulloh of the Unity in
Diversity Party (PBI) faction welcomed the plan.

"Governor Sutiyoso wants Jakarta to be equal with other
metropolises (around the world)," Ishak said.

The involvement of the private sector, he added, could become
a growing trend of residents participating in the beautification
of the city.

Kabulloh said the plan would help city residents remember
their national heroes. "It's such a great idea," he said.
(ind/05/bsr)