Revealing Past History, Minister Fadli Zon Launches Buitenzorg Book On A Piece Of Postcard

JAKARTA - Indonesian Minister of Culture Fadli Zon launched the book "Buitenzorg on a piece of Postcard" at a postcard exhibition at the Balai Kirti Museum of the National Gallery, Presidential Palace Complex, Bogor City, West Java.

"Through this book, we also want to reveal history in the past of how developments were, especially during the colonialism period," said Fadli Zon as quoted by ANTARA.

The book, which he wrote with the Secretary General of the Indonesian Filatelist Association (PFI) Mahpudi Sulaiman, described the condition of Buitenzorg or the name Bogor during the Dutch East Indies colonial period.

In the book that was launched, there were 179 Dutch East Indies imaged postcards produced in 1890-1930 and displayed views in Bogor, including the Bogor Palace to the Puncak area.

"This captures various developments in the geographical, socio-cultural areas, views, mountains, parks in Bogor," he explained.

Fadli Zon explained that the postcard was a filateli object that became a means of communication in the past to provide a portrait of memories to colleagues about the area they visited.

According to him, the postcard is also a filatile object that is now popular with the younger generation, because there is so much information in it.

"We thank those who have supported this activity so that we can have a book launch, then there is an exhibition of the original picture of the postcard," said Fadli Zon.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of PFI Mahpudi Sulaiman emphasized that filateli is not only a collection, but also an educational tool that is able to introduce history to the younger generation.

"This can be a new way for students to understand history through filatel objects," he said.

Mahpudi also said that filateli is the forerunner of social media. At that time, a postcard was used to convey short news to family or friends, similar to the way people currently communicate via social media.

"Filateli is a cross-time communication tool. By understanding its history, we can see how people communicate and spread information in the past," he explained.