PT Pembangunan Kota Tua
(Jakarta old Town Revitalization Corporation/JOTRC) and the Jakarta Endowment
for Art and Heritage (Jeforah) invited two state-owned enterprises to join the
consortium, but by capital participation for a variety of programs and
activities. JOTRC and Jeforah as two entities that initiate jointly with the
Jakarta Provincial Government, until eventually it involved employers, humanists,
and activists of a consortium. “PT Pos (Kantor Pos) has already joined. PT
Pelindo (Pelabuhan Indonesia) is invited to join by making capital deposit.
Unless they want to join as a special member. If Pelindo joined as a founding
member, it must meet the same obligations as other members.
There is no special treatment, unless there are
arrangement in which all members of the board agreed. Arrangement about
percentage of capital deposit will be decided”, Lin Che Wei, the Board of
Executive of JOTRC and Jeforah told Business News (March 7).
JOTRC is a legal entity in the form of Limited Liability
Company. JOTRC will develop a “Center of Excellence” place to live, work, and
play by developing arts and cultural preservation sectors, education, finance,
creative industries, meeting places, and lifestyle (food, fashion, and
entertainment). While, Jeforah is the legal entity in the form of association
with the aim of preserving arts, culture and heritage in the Old Town. This-non
profit organization is a partnership initiative between the Provincial
Government of DKI Jakarta, state-owned enterprises, private parties, humanists,
and social activists.
“We’ve explored with PT Pos. Initially, we had offered
the Post Office building on Jl. Pasar Baru, but it too big. Finally, the post
office on Jl. Cikini Raya is rather small for a pilot project. Because today
the post office no longer serves as a mail and package delivery service, etc.
Now people are using email, SMS, BBM, and so forth. But the post office is
still possible as a vision center, art gallery, and knowledge storage center.
We change the function of the post office on Jl. Post in the context of old
town revitalization.”
The Jakarta Old Town was once an area which is not only
full of high-art architecture but also a trade, economic, and financial center,
as well as the center of activity for the people of Jakarta. But, health
problems, traffic congestion, flood,
displacement of economic activities and occupancy have made the old town into
an abandoned place. Restoring the old town into a place to Live, Work, and Play
becomes the primary goal. “The assumption that the consortium is dominated by
traders, we must take a look at the history of the old town, Batavia. Formerly,
Jan Pieterszoon Coen (Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies) who built the
old town, was an accountant. The old town in Jakarta is different from that in
Hong Kong who had a harbor. It is also different with the old town in
Singapore, know as the Statue of Raffles and his garden city. But, the old town
in Jakarta cannot be separated from the history of the first port in the 15th
century. The old down was also not free from trading activities, because
Pinangsia Street was formerly named the Financial Center. It was a Chinese chronicle
of Batavia. Even, the buildings in Harco Mangga Dua (Agung Sedayu Group),
Lindeteves Trade Center (PT Agung Podomoro), which are within the radius of so
many of the old towns, are the second generation of the parents who used to
trade in Pintu Kecil (trade center during the Dutch colonial era).”
Meanwhile, Martono Yowono from Pusaka Nusantar Foundation
claimed that only “freaks” are interested in the work of the consortium for the
revitalization of old town. Short-term program has been agreed with the
Governor of Jakarta and was launched six months ago. The activities include
revitalization of Fatahillah Park, conversion of the Post Office into visitor
center and art gallery, food festivals, video mapping, and art activities in a
series of “Fatahillah Fiesta”. Marwoto admitted that after a vacuum for about
five years, it finally re-engaged in cultural activities, arts and heritage. He
invited the Governor of Jakarta, Joko Widodo. He admitted that the old town in
Jakarta is a long history since the days of Dutch colonial era until now. “Bang
Ali (former Governor of Jakarta) in 1972 is the one who inspired the
construction of the old town. Bang Ali saw that the old town in Poland is part
of nationalism and patriotism. Because when Warsaw was bombed, the government
rose from old town building. But throughout the world, an old town is an old
town. Only in Jakarta, the old town became Fatahillah Park.”
Meanwhile, project officer of Jeforah, Lilin Rosasanti,
said that everyone can enter the board structure. But, involvement in board
membership should be coupled with active participation. “We are open to all
elements of society, institutions, community organizations or the community
itself to take active participation. We invite them because of the seriousness
of Mr. Martono in revitalization program, but he is not a member of the board
of executive or board of trustee.” (E)
Business New - March 12, 2014
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