Mojokerto - The head of the Artifacts Preservation Center for East Java, I Made Kusumajaya, has said that construction of the Majapahit Information Center (PIM), located on the Majapahit original site, has currently been halted and will be continued in February.
”Once the construction redesign is finished,” he said yesterday (7/1).
Made explained the new construction will be culture friendly, using a concrete pole with a diameter of 30 centimeters.
”It will be drilled so it will not create much damage on the site,” he said.
The design change is needed because there has been criticism that the construction has damaged the original site.
Made said the construction had been stopped since December 19, last year.
”Not because of the minister said so, but because the first phase of the contract had been finished,” he said.
The construction has been criticized by archaeologists and surrounding members of the community.
They consider the construction harms the preservation of the existing site.
Made said he regretted the criticism and acknowledged that the foundation installment has damaged the site, adding “But only slightly.”
He went on to say that the site digging was actually to save the important value of the original site.
”This is a very important object, the center of Majapahit that could have greater value than even Borobudur,” he said.
Made said it was estimated that the project would cost Rp15 billion with funding from the state budget.
The project is divided into three phases and will be completed by 2012.
”We have spent Rp2 billion out of Rp4.5 billion of the initial budget,” he said.
Head of the East Java Regional Police, Inspector General Herman S. Sumariredja said the police will continue its investigation into destruction of the Majapahit site in Trowulan, Mojokerto.
”We will ask archeologist`s opinions,” he said yesterday.
Herman went on to say that even if destruction were proven, the police were unable to stop the project construction.
He said that this was the authority of the Directorate General of History and Artifacts at the Culture and Tourism Department. Dini M | Yekthi Hm
Source: http://www.tempointeractive.com (January 8, 2008)
”Once the construction redesign is finished,” he said yesterday (7/1).
Made explained the new construction will be culture friendly, using a concrete pole with a diameter of 30 centimeters.
”It will be drilled so it will not create much damage on the site,” he said.
The design change is needed because there has been criticism that the construction has damaged the original site.
Made said the construction had been stopped since December 19, last year.
”Not because of the minister said so, but because the first phase of the contract had been finished,” he said.
The construction has been criticized by archaeologists and surrounding members of the community.
They consider the construction harms the preservation of the existing site.
Made said he regretted the criticism and acknowledged that the foundation installment has damaged the site, adding “But only slightly.”
He went on to say that the site digging was actually to save the important value of the original site.
”This is a very important object, the center of Majapahit that could have greater value than even Borobudur,” he said.
Made said it was estimated that the project would cost Rp15 billion with funding from the state budget.
The project is divided into three phases and will be completed by 2012.
”We have spent Rp2 billion out of Rp4.5 billion of the initial budget,” he said.
Head of the East Java Regional Police, Inspector General Herman S. Sumariredja said the police will continue its investigation into destruction of the Majapahit site in Trowulan, Mojokerto.
”We will ask archeologist`s opinions,” he said yesterday.
Herman went on to say that even if destruction were proven, the police were unable to stop the project construction.
He said that this was the authority of the Directorate General of History and Artifacts at the Culture and Tourism Department. Dini M | Yekthi Hm
Source: http://www.tempointeractive.com (January 8, 2008)
