Klojen (malangkota.go.id) – Acting Mayor of Malang Drs. Sutiaji held an audience with representatives of artists and cultural figures throughout Malang City in the Malang Mayor's Meeting Room, Thursday (9/8).
On this occasion, the Head of the Malang City Culture and Tourism Office (Disbuspar) Ida Ayu Made Wahyuni, SH, M.Si. was also present.
This audience was held to accommodate the aspirations of artists and cultural figures to work together with the government in advancing arts and culture, especially after the issuance of Law Number 5 of 2017 concerning the Advancement of Culture.
There are three aspirations conveyed by the artist to the Acting Mayor of Malang. Namely asking the number one person in the Malang City Government to realize the vision of upholding cultural diversity in accordance with Law Number 5 of 2017.
Second, asking the Mayor of Malang to stipulate a mayoral regulation regarding the establishment of the Malang Cultural Council, and third, asking the Mayor of Malang to facilitate the holding of a meeting of artists and cultural figures to establish the Malang Cultural Council.
Responding to this, Sutiaji explained that culture cannot be separated from the government's efforts to advance the tourism sector. The reason is, especially Malang City which does not have natural resources as a tourist destination, culture is one of the things that has the potential to be highlighted in efforts to advance tourism.
"What was conveyed by these artists and cultural figures coincides with the preparation of the RPJMD (Regional Medium-Term Development Plan) which includes regional potential, one of which is art and culture," said Sutiaji, Thursday (9/8).
In front of the artists and cultural figures, Sutiaji also emphasized that his party had never closed itself off and was even very open to anyone to meet and have a dialogue.
"I emphasize in this forum that I am always open to meeting and having a dialogue with artists. So it is not true if anyone says that I am closed off or do not accept requests to meet with artists. Therefore, I hope that you do not act on the information that not right. Let us join hands tightly with good intentions to advance Malang City together," Sutiaji invited.
It was also said that the Malang City Government continues to strive to involve all elements including artists and cultural figures in advancing culture in Malang City, so that the audience held has strategic value in developing culture in Malang City.
"We also want to have a Malangan Village, where when people enter it, they already know that this is Malang. People will know from the character, what the original culture of Malang is like in the village," he said.
Regarding the Malang Cultural Council as a replacement for the Malang Arts Council which has been inactive for a long time, Sutiaji emphasized that this has been regulated in Law No. 5 of 2017 so that it has a legal basis for its formation.
"The nomenclature is culture, not art, because in my opinion, culture has a broader meaning than art. Art is part of culture, so the nomenclature is in accordance with our shared vision and mission in advancing culture," said Sutiaji.
On that occasion, the Acting Mayor of Malang also informed the artists and cultural figures that currently there is a mutual goodwill between the Malang City Government, Malang Regency and Batu City to jointly build Malang Raya.
Of course, Sutiaji continued, this will also be very strategic in efforts to build culture in Malang City in the future.
Meanwhile, the representative of artists and cultural figures, Rudi Satrio Lelono, said that the good intention to advance art and culture has been well received by the Malang City Government. "In the future, let's together advance art and culture for Malang City," Rudi invited. (cah/yon)
