Lowokwaru (malangkota.go.id) – A great nation is a nation that does not forget history. These wise words are one of the reasons for the establishment of the Lowowaroe Prison Museum at the Class 1 Lowokwaru Penitentiary (Lapas) in Malang City. This museum is located in one corner of the prison and utilizes a water reservoir building built during the Dutch colonial period or precisely in 1918.
Independently by inviting a number of inmates, several historical objects from the Dutch colonial period began to be arranged. Such as a cauldron weighing about 1,2 tons in front of the museum and in 1970 which was used to cook food for inmates in prison.
On the left side of the museum are also displayed two trucks that were used as transportation to transport prisoners. A number of relics that have been almost unmaintained have also begun to be cleaned and displayed in this place by the inmates, such as a wooden table made in 1950.
Head of Class I Lowokwaru Malang Prison Anak Agung Gde Krista, Monday (29/06/2020) said that the museum was established to commemorate history so that it can be used as a learning tool. "Not only inmates, later the general public, especially students can visit this place," he said.
Gde Krista added, considering that it is still during the Covid-19 pandemic, this museum has not been opened to the public for the time being, because it is feared that this will trigger the outbreak or transmission of this dangerous virus.
Other historical objects neatly arranged in this museum include a manual typewriter, a bicycle that was used by prison guards in the past, a generator, a weaving tool and photos of prison officer activities.
From this museum, visitors can not only learn about historical objects, but also about life in prison, so that all of this can also provide many lessons for the community not to commit crimes, because they will have to deal with the law and end up behind bars.
Until now, the prison authorities are still continuing to search for and collect other historical items and are arranging them as well as possible so that the museum becomes more interesting and becomes an attraction to visit.
In the future, this museum will be collaborated with a number of other relics belonging to prisons in the Ngajum District area, Malang Regency through an educational assimilation facility program. (say/yon)
