Vice President Encourages Construction Of Soekarno Memorial Library In Uzbekistan

JAKARTA - Vice President Ma'ruf Amin is pushing for the construction of the Soekarno Memorial Library near the grave of a leading hadith expert, Imam Bukhari, in Uzbekistan.

This was conveyed by Vice President Ma'ruf during an honorary visit to Uzbekistan Prime Minister Abdulla Nigatovich Aripov at the Cabinet building of the Minister of Uzbekistan in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, Tuesday, June 13.

"I also said earlier that a kind of Sukarno Memorial Library should be built at the grave (Imam Bukhari)," said Ma'ruf in his statement quoted by ANTARA.

Ma'ruf Amin suggested that the Sukarno Memorial Library be built near Imam Bukhari's grave because the hadith expert's grave was found thanks to the services of Sukarno in the Soviet era.

At that time Uzbekistan was still part of the Soviet Union and Bung Karno asked Soviet Union leader Nikita Krushchev to find the grave of Imam Bukhari who is believed to be in the Soviet Union.

After searching, the tomb was finally found in the Samarkand area, which is now one of the cities in Uzbekistan, after the Soviet Union broke out.

The vice president said Bung Karno also encouraged the tomb of Imam Bukhari to be built in luxury as a place of pilgrimage.

The vice president hopes that the Soekarno Memorial Library can be built there in memory of Bung Karno's services as the proposer of the construction of the grave of Imam Bukhari.

"Hopefully it can be done," he said.

According to Ma'ruf, the construction of the Sukarno Memorial Library has been discussed by the tourism ministers of the two countries.

"Earlier I conveyed to the Prime Minister (Abdulla) and I hope it can be realized. Later we will continue so that it is formed and it is important, history and pride for us, but also pride for them (Uzbekistan)," he said.