Surabaya City Government Revitalizes Bung Karno's Birth House To Become A Museum

Photo Archive - The house of the birth of the first President of the Republic of Indonesia Soekarno or Bung Karno on Jalan Pandean Gang IV No. 40 Cities of Heroes, East Java. (ANTARA/HO-Diskominfo Surabaya)

SURABAYA - The Surabaya City Government has revitalized the home of the birth of the first President of the Republic of Indonesia Soekarno or Bung Karno on Jalan Pandean Gang IV Number 40 Surabaya, East Java, into a museum.

Mayor of Surabaya, Eri Cahyadi in Surabaya, Monday, said the house where Bung Karno was born will be equipped with a number of artifacts and supporting ornaments.

"This museum will tell various stories of Bung Karno's struggle from being born in Surabaya to becoming the Proclaimer of Indonesian Independence," said Eri, quoted by Antara, Monday, June 6.

Currently, he continued, the process of revitalizing the asset building belonging to the Surabaya City Government is still being carried out. He targets the museum's tourist destination to be opened in the not too distant future.

According to him, the home of Bung Karno's birth will be connected to other historical tourist destinations in this area. While the concept being prepared is the National Village.

Moreover, he said, Bung Karno's birthplace was not far from HOS Tjokroaminoto's house, which was located Jalan Peneleh Gang VII Number 29-31, where Bung Karno was staying while he was studying at school.

"There is also Langgar Dhuwur, a 2-century-old mosque in this area which is known as the place to recite Bung Karno," he said.

The residence of HOS Tjokroaminoto has been inaugurated as a museum by the Surabaya City Government on November 27, 2017.

By becoming a museum, Eri hopes that school students and general tourists can learn about Bung Karno's life as well as emulate Bung Karno's spirit.

"His spirit (Bung Karno) can enter into the souls of young people. Moreover, Surabaya is known as the City of Heroes. Besides Bung Karno, there is also Bung Tomo and other heroes who inflame the spirit against colonialism," he said.

For Eri, Bung Karno's ideology in liberating Indonesia should have been a trigger for the millennial generation to fight. "We have to fight to be free from poverty and unemployment," said Eri.

Not just a museum, the former Head of the Surabaya City Planning Agency (Bappeko) also mentioned that this area will also be added to a center for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).

"In addition to food producers, we invite souvenir craftsmen around Bung Karno," he said.