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THE MINISTRY of Culture has stated that it is currently assessing the damage to properties and cultural assets in the Sade traditional village, located in Central Lombok Regency, West Nusa Tenggara.
Minister of Culture Fadli Zon, speaking in Jakarta on Monday (August 31, 2026), stated that the process is currently focused on data collection—specifically identifying the nature and extent of the damage. The Ministry has coordinated with the Minister of State Secretary, Prasetyo Hadi, regarding the repair of the traditional houses.
“I have also communicated with the Minister of State Secretary regarding the estimated costs and the distribution mechanism. Naturally, the support the Ministry of Culture can provide in this instance relates to the traditional houses—there are 75 of them,” he said.
He explained that there would be collaboration and a division of roles with other ministries and agencies to accelerate the recovery of the traditional village, which suffered massive damage due to a fire on August 22, 2026.
When asked about targets and directives from President Prabowo Subianto, he noted that while there were no specific instructions, the Head of State had certainly asked his administration to expedite the recovery of the disaster-affected area as quickly as possible.
“Regarding targets, the President naturally always wants things done as soon as possible. If it could be finished tomorrow, he would want it finished tomorrow. However, we need to determine the design and ensure we take measures to prevent a recurrence,” the Minister said.
He added that the government would also establish an appropriate management system for disaster mitigation in the traditional village area. The fire that struck Sade Traditional Village on August 22, 2026, reportedly damaged 75 traditional houses, 69 art shops, eight *alang* (thatched-roof) barns, one observation tower, four *Berugak Sekenam* structures, six *Berugak Sakepat* structures, one *Bale Beleq*, and several public facilities.
Witnesses reported that the fire first broke out in one of the houses before spreading to other buildings, most of which were constructed using highly flammable materials such as wood, bamboo, and *alang* grass. Sade Traditional Village is one of the oldest traditional villages on Lombok Island. The village has existed since the 16th century and has been passed down through 15 generations. [antaranews]
