What Will TMII Be After Being Taken Over By The State From Soeharto's Family?

Lighting Museum at Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) is quiet from tourist activities, Jakarta, Tuesday, April 13 (Aprillio Akbar/Antara)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of State Secretariat (Kemensetneg) took over the management of Taman Mini Indonesia Indonesia Indah (TMII) which has been managed by Harapan Kita Foundation. In the future, this area will be managed as much as possible and will even be optimized so that it can be utilized by the community.

Kemensetneg took over the tourist area that has an area of 150 hectares is Presidential Regulation (Perpres) Number 19 of 2021 on the Management of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) which is the basis of this happening.

"The point of mastery and management of Taman Mini Indonesia Indah is done by the Ministry of Finance and means that this also stops the management that has been done by Harapan Kita Foundation," said Minister of State Secretariat (Mensesneg) Pratikno in a press conference held virtually, Wednesday, April 7.

Before this decision was taken, it had conducted discussions in a short time and listened to the recommendations of various parties. One of them, the recommendation of the Financial Assessment Agency (BPK).

He also mentioned, after 44 years managed by a foundation managed by the son of the 2nd President of Indonesia Soeharto, now the government has an obligation to make arrangements. So that in the future, this area will have benefits that can be felt by many people.

"So Yayasan Harapan Kita has been managing this state-owned for almost 44 years, which is listed in the Ministry of State Secretariat and we are obliged to make arrangements," he said.

What will the future be?

Pratikno explained that there are already several plans that will be realized after the management of TMII changed hands. There are several things he mentions, ranging from international playgrounds to educational facilities.

"We will remain committed that this area becomes the preservation and development of the Nation's culture. Educational facilities that have the culture of the archipelago as it has been run but need to be optimized, can be an on-theme park area of international standard," he explained.

Not only that, in the future, TMII will also be managed so that it can be a facility to develop innovations of young people. "We are also minded to use existing facilities to be the center of innovation of the younger generation in the era of industrial revolution 4.0 today," said Pratikno.

The fate of TMII employees

Although it will be in a transitional period of management from Harapan Kita Foundation to the Ministry of Finance, Pratikno asked TMII employees to be worried. He asked the workers who depended on the area to keep working as usual.

Not only that, Pratikno also guarantees that workers will also get their rights such as salaries and facilities as usual and nothing has changed.

"The staff continue to work as usual, still get financial rights and facilities remain as usual," he said.

"So nothing has changed and later of course we are also committed to the transition team giving the task of how to think about better management innovation and provide better welfare to its staff," added Pratikno.

TMII was built in 1972 and inaugurated on April 20, 1975. At that time, the area was managed under Harapan Kita Foundation with President Suharto's wife, Siti Hartinah or Tien Soeharto as its chairman.

As for the desire it appeared in the 1970s. At that time, Ms. Tien accompanied Suharto to the United States and one of his agendas was to visit Disneyland located in California.

Ms. Tien is enjoying a number of creative rides and wants to have Disneyland in Jakarta. But, as written in the memorandum on the Issue of Miniature Project Indonesia Indah discussed in the House of Representatives Session 1971/1972, Ms. Tien wants TMII more complete as spiritual and material.

Quoted from the Kemdikbud website, the basic concept of TMII in Bu Tien's head is for TMII to be a miniature of Indonesia with all its wealth. Ms. Tien wants the pride of Indonesia to grow on the chest of every citizen.

After Ms. Tien's death, Harapan Kita Foundation was then 'passed down' to her son and son-in-law. Serving as a coach was the third son of President Suharto, Bambang Trihatmojo.

Then sitting as chairman was Siti Hardiyanti Indra Rukmana who was the first child of President Suharto. Furthermore, as chairman is the second child of President Soeharto Sigit Harjojudanto, and the deputy treasurer is held by President Suharto's son-in-law who is also Siti Hardiyanti's husband, Indra Rukmana.