National Museum to Receive Fund Up to Rp1 Billion Annually

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The government will set aside Special Allocation Funds (DAK) for several national museums in the country. Special Allocation Funds will be disbursed to national museums next year, Hilmar Farid, director general of culture at the Ministry of Education and Culture, stated on Saturday.

Farid revealed that the government owned 111 museums. Every museum is estimated to receive funds of up to Rp1 billion annually. "The administrator of the museum should submit the required document to obtain funds," he stated.

The DAK will be utilized to revitalize the museum in a bid to attract visitors. With the DAK, he noted that the operator of the museum can make innovations in its program.

He also proposed the establishment of the government's museum Public Service Agency. It was still being prepared. "We are awaiting an approval from the Ministry of Finance," he stated.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) had earlier inaugurated the Keris Museum in Surakarta as part of the efforts to preserve Indonesian culture. "Keris is a highly valued item of cultural heritage, with high philosophical values," the president noted during his address in the museum on Wednesday (Aug 9).

Jokowi pointed out that currently, Indonesian youngsters were less interested in cultural crafts, such as Keris, which is a traditional Indonesian blade.

He stated that Keris was listed as a cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2005.

Moreover, Jokowi stated that other countries' leaders, such as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin, had a Keris collection from Indonesia and had already expressed their interest in the blade.

"The values and philosophies of Keris have attracted them," Jokowi stated.

Although people pursue national development, they should not forget their own traditional heritage.

"That is why we should preserve the national heritage, such as Keris," he explained.

ANTARA