Save your heritage

I look forward to your Saturday editions and with great interest read Ida Indawati Khouw's articles in the Save Old Batavia section. The first time I read these articles was in September 2000, after staying in Jakarta for some time. My interest in the aforementioned articles was awaken because I am chairman of the Association of Dutch Friends of the Sumatra Heritage Trust in the Netherlands.

The Sumatra Heritage Trust (SHT) has been established in Medan under the management of Ibu Hasti Tarekat. Our association has adopted Medan's old Balai Kota (City Hall), designed by Dutch architecture Ir. Boon in 1905. The goal is to collect funds in the Netherlands to have this Balai Kota renovated and restored to its original state. Recently I visited both the Museum Arsip Nasional (National Archives) and the VOC-Building.

Our aim in supporting the SHT with a 12-member team is to secure a part of the history for the inhabitants of Medan, but in particular for the youth. People should not live without knowing the history of the place where they were born.

I do hope the writer will have the opportunity to continue her articles about the Batavia heritage.

WIL G.K. TJOA

Chairman of the Association

of the Sumatra Heritage Trust

The Netherlands