Tampaksiring for ASEAN meet

Tampaksiring for ASEAN meet

The Jakarta Post, Nusa Dua, Bali

Nestling amid the breathtaking scenery of Gianyar's
mountainous art village, cool climate and green, terraced, rice
fields, Tampaksiring Palace, some 40 kilometers east of Bali's
provincial capital, Denpasar, is ready to welcome 14 heads of
state from ASEAN member countries plus China, Japan, South Korea
and India, at a lavish state dinner hosted by President Megawati
Soekarnoputri on the night of Oct. 7.

Almost abandoned by former president Soeharto during the New
Order period, many parts of the palace were in a dilapidated
condition, with paint peeling from walls, dusty wooden furniture,
threadbare carpets and dirty floors.

Renovation to the exterior and interior of buildings,
involving more than 500 workers, was still ongoing last week to
transform the gloomy palace into a glamorous, yet welcoming
retreat for the President and her state guests.

"All work had to be finished by Friday afternoon (Oct. 3) when
Ibu Megawati inspected the site," said Sunaryo, one of the
workers who had been toiling round the clock to meet the deadline
set by the presidential office in Jakarta.

The arrival of hundreds of security personnel occasionally
disrupted the renovations. "We have to pass through tightly
guarded security checkpoints. They even inspect our nasi bungkus
(takeaway rice, meat and vegetables)," a worker complained.

Originally built in l957, Tampaksiring Palace was the
brainchild of Indonesia's founding president, Sukarno, the late
father of President Megawati. The pristine beauty of the
Tampaksiring area impressed the half-Balinese Sukarno. Adjacent
to the palace is a sacred fountain and Hindu temple, Tirta Empul.
Construction of the four palace compounds was completed in l963.
The palace comprises four main buildings, Wisma Merdeka (3,200
square meters), Wisma Negara (2,000 square meters), Wisma
Yudhistira and a large auditorium.

A 40-meter bridge connects Wisma Merdeka and Wisma Negara. The
bridge is known as Jembatan Persahabatan (the bridge of
friendship). Usually, state guests were taken to the bridge to
symbolize the friendship between the host and guest countries.
Official photo sessions were frequently held there.

Since Megawati took power in 2001, the palace, once her
father's favorite retreat, received special attention. During
Soeharto's days, the First Family hardly ever went to or
entertained their guests at the Palace, previously filled with
precious artwork, including classical Balinese paintings, wooden
carvings and statues. Sukarno was known to be an ardent art lover
and collector.

Megawati resurrected the tradition of inviting state guests to
the palace. More than that, she frequently used the palace for
family purposes.

The palace, usually open to the public, was closed for
renovation and for security reasons. The decision to temporarily
close the palace has made life difficult for many kiosk vendors.
Lines of souvenir kiosks, which used to occupy a plot of land
nearby the palace, could no longer survive because visitors did
not arrive to buy the handicrafts and other souvenirs they had
for sale.

"In the past, people could go to the shaded park inside the
palace grounds and enjoy a family picnic there. It also attracted
tourists and art lovers who could admire the abundant paintings,"
said a kiosk trader.

This was in addition to the thousands of Hindu worshipers who
visited Tirta Empul temple during its anniversary, which occurs
every six-and-a-half months, in accordance with the Balinese
calendar.

In the last few days, hundreds of security officials have
arrived at the palace to install safety equipment and protect it
from any possible security threats.

The route between Nusa Dua and Tampaksiring Palace has been
isolated from any possible disturbance. During the rainy season,
the winding and narrow roads heading to the palace will be
slippery, creating difficulties for guests' limousines.

Schools, government offices, small souvenir shops and
boutiques located close to the palace will also be closed on Oct.
7.

"I hope that this will be over soon because it will affect
small businesses. The closure of these roads will also disrupt
public transportation and the people who live in Kintamani, above
the palace," said Gusti Arta.

On the other hand, students from the junior high school in
Tampaksiring, located in front of the palace entrance gate,
looked cheerful because the local authority decided that all
schools in the area would be closed on Oct. 7 and Oct. 8.

In Bali, which strongly adheres to Hinduism, all ceremonies,
meetings and gatherings must be preceded by special rituals.

The current ASEAN Summit meeting is very important to the
Indonesian government for it to show to the world that Bali is
safe again. Therefore, religious leaders from all over Bali
gathered in Tampaksiring to hold a special ritual to ask for
permission and protection from the Divine powers that guard the
island and its people.

It is hoped that the upcoming state dinner will run smoothly
and the respected heads of state can enjoy both the beauty of
Tampaksiring Palace and the food, of course.