Luhut Patok Ticket Price Of IDR 750 Thousand, PDIP Legislator: Do The Poor Have No Right To Enjoy Borobudur Temple?

JAKARTA - Member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) faction, Deddy Yevri Sitorus, questioned the reason behind the plan to increase the ticket up to Borobudur Temple to IDR 750 thousand for local tourists and USD 100 for foreign tourists for conservation reasons.

Deddy suspects that this policy plan is aimed at commercialization rather than conservation. If there is a reason for conservation, there are far wiser steps than the policy of increasing ticket prices.

"Just do the policy, whoever comes first, may go up to the maximum number set. Or who registers first through the application, may go up. It would be better if it was combined between those who arrived first and those who registered first through the application, so that there is justice between those who have access to the application and those who do not," said Deddy in an electronic message received in Jakarta, Monday, June 6.

The policy of raising prices is not impartial because it distinguishes sharply between the rich and the poor. If the intention is to limit the number of visitors, continued the member of Commission VI of the DPR, it does not have to increase prices.

“Poor people will not be able to pay such high ticket prices, especially if they come with their families. The ticket price can be higher than the UMR for workers when visiting with family. Then don't poor people have the right to go up and enjoy Borobudur Temple?" Deddy said.

"I'm surprised, if you use conservation principles, it should only be limited to the number of people, and not the financial capacity," he asserted.

Furthermore, the price mentioned by Luhut is much higher than similar historical sites in various countries. Deddy admitted to researching the price of admission to the Accropolis site along with 5 other Greek sites. Where the total ticket price is around IDR 464,000.

Likewise with the world heritage sites in Italy where the entrance ticket to the 3 main sites, namely the Collosseum, Forum and Palatio, is around IDR 278,000.

Not much different from other famous sites in the world, namely the Pyramids of Giza in Egypt and the Taj Mahal in India, where the entrance ticket is only Rp. 360,000-433,000, which includes a guide package or photo service.

"Meanwhile, the IDR 750,000 ticket that was submitted was only for going up to the top of the Borobusur Temple. This is torture and injustice for the small people and has the potential to have a negative impact on the number of visitors to Borobudur," said Deddy.

"The impact will be that the people around the Borobudur Temple area will lose a significant income," he added.

As a member of Commission 6, Deddy said that his party is partnering with Tourism Holding where TWC, whose subsidiary is the manager of Borobudur. So they understand the situation.

Therefore, Deddy hopes that the policy will be canceled because it smells too commercial, unfair and has the potential to cause polemics in the community. "Even if it is later changed to BLU, the price policy is very indirect," he said.

The legislator for the North Kalimantan electoral district added that historical reserves or sites such as Borobudur have been protected by Law No. 11 of 2010 concerning Cultural Conservation. Thus, if the reason for imposing the fantastic price is to limit the number of visitors and protect Borobudur Temple, it does not make sense.

"I don't think it makes sense. Because without even setting a price, the Cultural Conservation Law is more than enough to be a reference for the protection of Borobudur Temple. So my conclusion is that the policy is purely commercialization,” concluded Deddy.