Doubting Anies's Commitment To Not Commercialize The Results Of Team Revitalization

Illustration of the TIM area after revitalization (doc. Jakpro)

JAKARTA - The Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan and the DPRD DKI discussed the draft Regional Regulation (Raperda) on amendments to Number 1 of 2015 concerning Regional Levies.

In the draft local regulation, the Jakarta DPRD PSI faction found that there was an increase in levies (rental prices) at one of the theater buildings in Taman Ismail Marzuki (TIM).

"We find that in this draft local regulation the tariff for the use of the Taman Ismail Marzuki (PKJ-TIM) Jakarta Arts Center for performing arts has doubled from the value of the previous regional levies," said PSI Faction Member Vianni Limardi at the DPRD DKI Building, Jakarta. Center, Wednesday, March 11.

Vianni gave an example, the double rate increase was at the Gedung Teater Besar (Jakarta Theater). This building is a new design that is not included in the current TIM revitalization. The building capacity, which was built in the 2000s, is 1,200 seats.

In Perda No. 1 of 2015, the rental price for Teater Besar is set at IDR 30 million per day. Meanwhile, Vianni said that the new draft regional regulation sets rental prices to reach IDR 60 million / day.

"In fact, in this draft regulation, building usage rates for weekends are also differentiated, around 25 - 50 percent more expensive than normal days. For example, weekend rates for the use of large theater buildings are set at Rp. 75 million per day," he explained.

Vianni recited Anies' words during a joint meeting with members of the House of Representatives Commission X on 27 February. Vianni said, Anies had explicitly said that the post-revitalization TIM management was not for commercial purposes.

"This (TIM) is not a place to earn money. If the provincial government wants to earn money, raising the PBB is easier than making money through the rental fee for TIM facilities. Then is it commercial? Absolutely not,"

Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan

"For this reason, we ask that the rate amount be reviewed and revised again," he continued.

At the same place, Anies answered a question about the increase in rental prices for Teater Besar. He said, the change in building lease levy rates at Taman Ismail Marzuki was intended to reduce price inequality with privately owned buildings to make it more equal.

Later, Anies claimed that too low a rental price for the theater would convert the space into an art performance.

"The building levy is too low, which causes the frequency of building use in its development to have nothing to do with arts or culture," said Anies.

For information, the issue of performance halls in TIM was brought up when the area was being revitalized.

A number of artists who are members of the Taman Ismail Marzuki Artists Forum (FSPTIM) are concerned about the increase in building rental prices and the culture of commercialization that will eventually grow in the area.