T

he government has been urged to allocate funds to the upkeep of cultural heritage buildings in Surakarta, Central Java.

The funds are expected to be channelled in a form of financial incentives and are needed to maintain and renovate the buildings, as stipulated by Law No. 11/2010.

“We once received funds from the central government for conservation purposes, but it was just a stimulant,” chairman of the Laweyan batik village development forum, Alfa Fabela Priyatmono, said on Friday.

Laweyan is one of the places in the city rich with historical buildings, as administered officially through Law No. 11/2010.

Hundreds of houses that are legacies of past batik merchants still exist in the area. Unfortunately, not all of them are well maintained. Some are even left uninhabited by their respective owners.

“We have to wait for the government to issue the regulation incentives,” said the head of the Surakarta municipal City Planning Agency’s cultural heritage division, Mufti.

According to Mufti, without legal measures that technically regulate how the incentive is to be provided for the maintenance and renovation of cultural heritage buildings, the municipal administration would be struggling to cope with the costs of preservation.

Mufti added that the law on cultural heritage does not just mention incentives but also compensation, appreciation and technical aid that have to be given to the owners of cultural heritage buildings.

“The government is expected to draft technical details into the regulation,” Mufti said.

As part of the government’s efforts to make the draft well contained, the Tourism and Creative Economy Ministry is to hold a workshop in Surakarta next week.

A number of local heritage activists and cultural observers will be invited to the workshop and are expected to contribute comprehensive materials to the drafting of the regulation.

Mufti hailed the program as part of the government’s acknowledgement of Surakarta as a member of the world heritage city network.

Separately, chairman of the Caring Community for the Nusantara (Indonesia) Cultural Heritage Presidium, Agus Anwari, said that based on a 1995 survey and a 1997 mayoral information letter, there had been some 70 cultural heritage objects (BCB) in the municipality before the number was curtailed to 55 after an evaluation of the issue was conducted using strict requirements.

“They comprise colonial buildings, cultural areas, train stations and bridges,” said Agus.

He said that the scrutiny from experts had brought down the number to 55 as stipulated by Law No. 11/2010.