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ov. 29, p. 2

It has been revealed that eight months ago a protected award-winning house in Menteng, Central Jakarta, was half torn down after it was sold to one of the country’s top political figures.

Sources who learned about the transaction last year said the house, an iconic Dutch Indische Woonhuizen (Indies Residences) style house known as “Rumah Cantik” (beautiful house), was sold for about Rp 16 billion (US$1.76 million).

The house’s front fence is now sealed off with corrugated iron panels. Recent photos of the house show that much of its roof is missing, the presence of large holes in some of the walls, and that the once beautiful garden, which was filled with colorful flowers and neatly cropped hedges, was dead.

All that remains are some tiles and the skeleton of the house.

Previously, almost everyone who passed the house, which is located on the corner of Jl. Teuku Cik Di
Tiro and Jl. Ki Mangunsarkoro, Central Jakarta, stopped to admire its classic beauty.

Your comments:

It was a very beautiful house. I remember my five years living in Manggarai in South Jakarta and I passed this house almost every morning when I went to work.

Why didn’t the government preserve this beautiful house just the way it was?

Arie

This building has been declared part of our cultural heritage and someone cannot just tear it down without consequences.

It’s not about jealousy or else, it’s about lack of law enforcement that is often abused by power and money.

As simple as that!

Wita

This house is really close to my father’s house.

I used to pass this house every day when I went out.

It’s a really beautiful quaint old house with a splendid garden. But what made it so special was because it had kept its form for years even though its surroundings had changed tremendously.

It’s a shame that it’s gone now.

K. Wardana

That beautiful heritage house was priceless! Why doesn’t the buyer just find some place else free to build a house?

Shaun

The house has gone through the good times. It is very sad to see it finally destroyed.

Danang

This is unbelievable! This house urgently needs advocacy! Such an ignorant act!

Rizky Wisnu

Everyone made a big noise when the Buddha Bar “a heritage site” was being used and they actually restored the site.

Have you ever seen Indonesian restoration under a government entity?

Go to Yogyakarta, it’s very sad. All the walls and painting are covered with mold.

Keith Harding

No doubt the buyer intends to demolish another bit of Jakarta’s heritage and erect the typical ugly monster home so loved by the elite.

K. Highlander