TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Member of the Governor Anies Baswedan's Team for Development Acceleration (TGUPP) Angga Putra Fidrian asserted that Kampung Akuarium in Penjaringan, North Jakarta, was not a cultural heritage as it had never been categorized so.

According to him, cultural heritage is not only about the building but also the area. “Kota Tua is a cultural heritage, so its development follows the cultural heritage around it,” said Angga in a virtual discussion on Monday, August 24.

Therefore, Angga underlined there was no regulation violated in the construction project of the vertical village. The status of the areas, he added, is governmental areas code P3 as stipulated in the Regional Regulation No 1/2014 on the detailed spatial planning (RDTR) and zoning.

However, Angga admitted that during the excavation, there were fragmentary historical objects found, such as building foundation, ceramics, plates, and tiles. “I do not say that they are cultural heritage but historical objects,” he said.

The head of the Jakarta Restoration Team (TSP) Bambang Eryudhawan previously clarified that the construction project was permitted in the meetings of the Restoration Team, the city’s Cultural Heritage Team, and the Urban Architecture Expert Team by considering the cultural heritage and public settlement.

According to him, the cultural heritage area in the Kampung Akuarium area had indeed been damaged during the eviction carried out during the era of Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok. At that time, Ahok demolished all the buildings in the area without involving experts on cultural heritage as well as the city’s public housing and settlement agency.

Read also: Jakarta Denies Violating Rules in Kampung Akuarium Project

LANI DIANA WIJAYA