F

ollowing weeks of heated negotiations accentuated by a noisy street demonstration, the Tabanan administration on Tuesday complied with demands by the Beraban customary village for the right to manage Tanah Lot temple, one of the island’s world-famous tourist attractions.

The administration declared that it would not extend the contract of CV Ary Jasa, a private company that since mid-1980 had managed the commercial side of the tourist attraction on behalf of Tabanan regency.

“The management of Tanah Lot now is a matter between two parties only, the Tabanan administration and the Beraban customary village. I ask the people of Beraban to manage the site in a professional way,” Tabanan Regent Ni Putu Eka Wiryastuti told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.

She said she was convinced that the transfer of management would not adversely affect the services provided to visitors of the temple.

The decision not to extend CV Ary Jasa’s contract and to award Beraban customary village with the right to manage Tanah Lot was made during a meeting between all stakeholders chaired by the regent.

Beraban’s Village Development Council (BPD) head Komang Gede Putra Astawa accepted the decision with unbridled joy.

For weeks Astawa and scores of Beraban community leaders had rallied thousands of villagers to push for the decision.

However, the administration had not decided the new format of the profit sharing. In the previous format, CV Ary Jasa received 15 percent of profits, 50 percent of which went to the regency’s coffer, Beraban customary village received 20 percent, the Tanah Lot temple’s custodians received 10 percent, and the remaining 5 percent was distributed to neighboring villages.

People’s Youth Movement (Gapera) head I Made Sujana claimed that in 2010 Tanah Lot drew an average of 5,000 visitors per day, generating a total revenue of Rp 12 billion (US$1.38 million) and a net profit of Rp 2.5 billion.

Gapera is one of the organizations that lobbied and pressed the regency administration to terminate the contract with CV Ary Jasa and give the management right to Beraban customary village.

“If the village is given the right to manage Tanah Lot then this tourist attraction will bring more prosperity for the locals,” Sujana said.

Tanah Lot temple stands on a large offshore rock in the coastal area of Beraban.

The temple was built by 15th
century Hindu sage Danghyang Nirartha, an influential advisor to Bali’s great king Dalem Waturenggong.

It is believed that Nirartha built several temples along the island’s coastline in an effort to create a spiritual fortification against the advancement of East Java’s Muslim kingdoms.

The breathtaking sight of the sun setting over Tanah Lot has became one of the island’s most iconic
images.

More than two million people visit this temple every year, and it was recognized as the Most Favorite Tourist Destination at the 2010 Indonesian Tourism Awards.