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Investors encouraged to build houses of prayer in North Sumatra tourist sites
The Mustika Akbar mushala and Oikumene church are the first adjacent praying houses to be opened in one tourist area by the administration.
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Lake Toba as seen from the hill surrounding the lake. The North Sumatra provincial administration has requested investors to build houses of prayer in tourist sites to symbolize the strength of diversity in Indonesia. (Shutterstock/File)
T
he North Sumatra provincial administration has requested investors to build houses of prayer in tourist sites to symbolize the strength of diversity in Indonesia.
The request was delivered by North Sumatra Governor Tengku Erry Nuradi during the inauguration of a mushala (prayer room) and church at the 206-hectare Taman Simalem Resort integrated agro-ecotourism area in Merek, Karo regency on Saturday.
The Mustika Akbar mushala and Oikumene church are the first adjacent praying houses to be opened in one tourist area by the administration.
Erry said houses of prayer in a tourist location were very important to ease tourists wishing to observe their religious duties. He added that the administration also encouraged investors to build two different houses of prayer in close proximity at such sites, to portray togetherness, strength and harmony among different religions in North Sumatra.
Read also: Simalem Park Resort in Karo nominated for 2017 Indonesia Sustainable Tourism Award
“It’s very important since [such a move] also serves as a symbol of the strength of diversity in Indonesia,” Tengku said during the inauguration ceremony.
The ceremony was later followed by breaking of the fast together that was also joined by Karo Regent Terkelin Brahmana, local religious leaders and residents.
An investor representative of Taman Simalem Resort from Singapore, Bernard Tay, said the tourist developer indeed highlighted the importance of the spiritual needs of its staff and visitors.
He also praised the government’s support and the opportunities it had given to the investors to help develop tourism in North Sumatra.
“We highly appreciate such support in order to increase the comfort and needs of our guests in praying,” said Tay. (kes)
