ER
GOVERNOR of the Indonesian Province of Riau, Arsyadjuliandi Rachman has condemned the arsonist over the Siak Sri Indrapura palace in Siak District that damaged the historic dioramas and its curtain.
“The burning act is an outrageous crime. Siak Palace is an asset of our precious cultural heritage. This asset is not only a legacy for the Siak, but also for all people of Riau. It even belongs to the people of Indonesia as well,” the governor said.
Regarding the outrageous crime, Rachman urges the police to arrest the arsonist and thoroughly investigate the case. The arson attempt against the Siak palace was known on Monday afternoon around 2:45 pm Western Indonesia Standard Time (WIB).
The arson burned curtains and a statue in a diorama inside the palace. The disclosure of the case is also important to be able to keep the noble heritage of Malay culture in Indonesia, he noted.
“This legacy is full of noble values for the learning of the next generation. Thus, they know the extraordinary contribution of the Siak Kingdom to Indonesia,” the governor explained.
Sultan Syarif Kasim II as the last king of Siak donated 13 million guilders as a commitment of the Siak Kingdom to join with the Indonesian Government. It was a very large amount of capital for the Indonesian struggle to gain independence from the Netherlands.
Siak Sri Indrapura Palace or also called “Istana Matahari Timur”, is the official residence of Sultan Siak which was built in 1889, during the reign of Sultan Sharif Hasyim. This palace was a legacy of Siak Sri Inderapura Sultanate which was built in 1893.
The Siak Palace which has an area of 1,000 square meters, has the Malay, Arabic and European architecture.
The Siak Sri Indrapura palace is located at the palace complex with has an area of about 32,000 square meters, consisting of four palaces namely Siak Palace, the Istana Lima, Padjang Palace, and Baroe Palace. [antaranews]
