TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - THE fire that engulfed the Museum Bahari (Maritime Museum) at the Sunda Kelapa Port, North Jakarta, is proof of how poor safety precautions are in museums in Indonesia. The blaze actually did not appear without prior warning: there were already signs of a possible fire hazard, but they were ignored. No improvements were made to respond to these obvious signs. The nation now has to pay dearly for this gross negligence, as we have lost a very important collection of our maritime historical heritage.

The fire could have been prevented if only the museum management had been smart enough to perceive the signs. Before the blaze, this museum had almost caught fire several times due to short circuits. The new management proposed a budget for the replacement of electrical installations this year. Sadly, just as renovations were underway, the fire broke out. Buildings A and C of the museum both of which were just renovated in November were burned down. Again the cause of the fire was in fact already familiar to museum officers: a short circuit.

As the Maritime Museums supervisory institution, the Jakarta provincial government should guarantee the safety of historic buildings from all threats, including fire and theft. Vital establishments like museums should be equipped with security and protection infrastructure against these hazards. Unlike ordinary houses or buildings, museums should have their own systems of security and protection so that when a fire or robbery occurs, there can be an immediate response. In order to avoid losses inflicted by a blaze or burglary, the government need not display original historic objects at museums as their replicas will suffice.

The Maritime Museum fire is a disaster for Indonesia's museum world. The maritime historical heritage and collections kept in the museum, that used to be a warehouse to store the commodities of the Dutch East Indies Company (VOC), are indeed priceless. The various traditional boats such as boats from Bali (cadik), Pangandaran and North Sumatra- were reduced to ashes. Also consumed by the fire were the Java Sea War collection, different models and miniatures of traditional and modern ships used by seamen in the past, as well as a historic building more than three centuries old.

This negligence cannot be tolerated. The Jakarta provincial government and the police should thoroughly investigate the conflagration. If necessary, a museum management audit team should be set up by involving experts in museum management. The audit should be conducted to determine whether or not the museum has been managed according to the standards stipulated in the Government Regulation on Museums.

The Maritime Museum disaster should serve as a subject of evaluation to address the acute problem prevailing in Indonesia: the lack of awareness of the importance of safeguarding, maintaining and preserving cultural heritage. The government should never shirk its responsibilities for this loss of our maritime civilization records.

This fire must never be seen as an ordinary incident with no further consequences. Strict sanctions should be imposed on the personnel responsible for the blaze so that similar calamities will not recur in the future. The government should also audit all museums in the country to make sure that they are already managed in an appropriate manner.

Read the full article in this week's edition of Tempo English Magazine