Surakarta (malangkota.go.id) – Since it was declared on October 25, 2008, the Indonesian Heritage City Network (JKPI) has now entered its decade. Its membership has also grown rapidly to reach 66 cities/regencies throughout Indonesia.
In order to commemorate its 1st decade anniversary, JKPI held a meeting of regional heads of JKPI members in Solo on Wednesday (24/10) to Saturday (27/10). As informed by the Mayor of Solo FX. Hadi Rudianto, the JKPI meeting was filled with gala dinner activities, cultural and creative economy exhibitions, symposiums, cultural parades, ladies programme and heritage city tour.
The Mayor of Malang on this occasion was accompanied by the Chairperson of the Malang City PKK TP and the Head of the Malang City Culture and Tourism Office. "This is part of our commitment to encouraging tourism heritage in Malang City. Moreover, at the meeting of regional heads of JKPI members this year, we together built a commitment to design managing heritage city" explained the Mayor of Malang, Drs. H. Sutiaji, Thursday (25/10).
Added the mayor who was once awarded the title by the King of Surakarta Hadiningrat Pakoeboewono XIII with the title of KRT. H. Sutiaji Dipuro (2017_red), steps to organize the heritage city in Malang have been taken. One of them is realized through data collection and verification of cultural heritage in Malang City.
"The Culture and Tourism Office has been actively involved in involving academics, cultural actors and... volunteer (volunteers). Up to now, approximately 600 objects have been recorded, and 168 objects have been able to be narrated," explained the Mayor of Malang who is also enthusiastic about designing rebranding for the Kayu Tangan Malang area.
Meanwhile, Head of Malang City Culture and Tourism Office Ida Ayu Made Wahyuni, SH, M.Si informed that one of the requirements or assessments of whether an object is categorized as a cultural heritage is a minimum age limit of 50 years. "Of course, not just age, but still considering the criteria of value and significance, which means important values such as buildings or structures that were once inhabited by famous figures," she explained.
Ida continued that it has an important meaning if the building/structure/object in question is able to contribute to knowledge or social benefits.
The importance of a heritage building having a regional style or character as its own distinctive feature was also emphasized by urban planning expert from ITN Budi Fathoni.
Expert Staff for Inter-Institutional Relations of the Ministry of PUPR, Luthfi Anang as a resource person for the symposium, re-emphasized that regions must be able to actualize Law Number 11 of 2010 concerning Cultural Heritage.
"Cultural heritage in the form of objects, buildings, structures, sites, and areas need to be managed by the government and regional governments by increasing community participation to protect, develop, and utilize cultural heritage," he said.
Meanwhile, Law No. 28 of 2002 concerning Buildings states that buildings and their surroundings that are designated as cultural heritage in accordance with laws and regulations must be protected and preserved. Strengthened by Law No. 26 of 2007 concerning Spatial Planning, which implies the importance of paying attention to cultural values in the implementation of spatial planning.
The Heritage City Planning and Preservation Program (P3KP) is one of the government's commitments in carrying out the mandate of the three laws. P3KP has been pioneered since 2012 in collaboration with the Indonesian Heritage Conservation Agency (BPPI).
The Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing through the Directorate General of Human Settlements, Directorate of Building Development, in addition to providing assistance and facilitation in the form of stimulus funds for heritage area development, also provides assistance in strengthening institutions for related parties, especially for the Regional Heritage City Team (TKPD).
P3KP is a program incentive for P3KP participating regencies/cities that have established RTRW and Building Regulations. In addition, P3KP is also a platform to synergize cross-sector programs both at the central and regional levels in order to realize sustainable urban development based on heritage.
To date, P3KP has been followed by 52 cities/regencies that have commitments and concerns in protecting the wealth of natural, cultural, and landscape heritage that they have. The commitment and concern are stated by the Regency/City in the Heritage City Action Plan (RAKP).
P3KP member regencies/cities are working together to find ways and real steps to empower the nation's heritage wealth to become a highly valuable asset, both in the eyes of the Indonesian nation itself and in the eyes of other nations in the world.
Luthfi emphasized that the preservation of cultural heritage needs to be supported by the development of cities that respect the existence of cultural heritage and make it an important part of decision making. The Regency/City Government as the organizer of development in the region and decision maker plays a key role in the preservation of cultural heritage areas.
The initial step is to establish the Regional Heritage City Team (TKPD) by the Regional Head consisting of related OPDs, heritage communities, and academics. The proposal is one of the indicators that shows the commitment of the regional government in following the P3KP. In general, it shows the direction of regional government policy in preserving heritage cities, a description of the potential of heritage assets, and mapping of stakeholders. (say/yon)
