Surabaya City Council Backs President's Call to Protect Heritage Sites of Independence Fighters
Deputy Speaker of the Surabaya City Council (DPRD) Bahtiyar Rifai has urged the legislature to strengthen the protection of cultural heritage sites as part of the nation’s historical legacy of struggle. His call follows President Prabowo Subianto’s expressed concern over the state of cultural heritage preservation.
Bahtiyar said one site that has drawn national attention is the former Bung Tomo Radio House on Jalan Mawar in Surabaya, which holds immense historical value in Indonesia’s fight for independence. It was from this location that Bung Tomo’s heroic speeches were broadcast, igniting the spirit of Surabaya’s youth to resist the colonial occupiers.
“This is not merely a Surabaya issue, but also concerns other areas such as Mojokerto and other regions that possess the heritage of independence fighters. However, the catalyst has indeed come from Surabaya, specifically the location on Jalan Mawar that Bung Tomo once used for his radio broadcasts,” Bahtiyar said in a written statement on Wednesday (18 February 2026).
Bahtiyar added that reports circulating among the public were quite distressing, as the historic site had reportedly been repurposed as a parking area, despite having been designated a cultural heritage site decades ago.
“If I’m not mistaken, the site was designated as cultural heritage around 1997. For that reason, we at the DPRD deeply regret that such a significant piece of historical heritage has not been properly protected,” Bahtiyar said.
He emphasised that although current council members were not in office when the heritage designation was first made, President Prabowo’s message serves as a powerful reminder that the state must be visibly present in safeguarding the nation’s historical legacy of struggle.
“The President’s message is very clear — that all forms of cultural heritage representing the legacy of our independence fighters, possessing historical value, must be protected by the state,” Bahtiyar said.
Furthermore, Bahtiyar stated that the Surabaya City Council would push for cross-stakeholder discussions to ensure comprehensive protection of historical sites — not only the Bung Tomo Radio House, but also other locations across Surabaya that hold significance to the independence struggle.
“We will discuss this with various parties, including the cultural heritage team, to remap locations of historical value. The aim is for these sites to be formally designated as cultural heritage and receive full protection from the government,” Bahtiyar explained.
He stressed that protecting cultural heritage is not simply about preserving old buildings, but about safeguarding the identity, character, and collective memory of the nation, particularly for younger generations.
“Surabaya is known as the City of Heroes. It is therefore only fitting that we collectively preserve the legacy of our fighters, so that the values of their struggle remain alive and can be passed on to future generations,” he concluded.