Preserve old buildings

MEDAN, North Sumatra: Medan must preserve old buildings that may have historical or cultural values, although they may no longer have any commercial value, a senior official of the Ministry of Education and Culture said yesterday.

Director General of Culture Edi Sedyawati said that many buildings in Medan fall in the category of national heritage and should be protected and conserved, Antara reported.

The city authorities should take into account the need to preserve these structures when they draw up Medan's spatial planning, she said during a seminar to discuss the city's architecture.

Medan Mayor Bachtiar Djafar said that among the city's old buildings that are considered cultural heritage are the Maimoon Palace, the North Sumatra Governor's Office, the General Post Office building and the Dharma Deli Hotel. (emb)