Indonesian government may install permanent stairlift at Borobudur Temple: Minister
A temporary stairlift was installed ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit on May 29, which caused a heated debate in Indonesia. PHOTO: REUTERS
JAKARTA - The government is still finalising a plan to install a permanent stairlift at Borobudur Temple in Magelang, Central Java, to facilitate visitors with special needs to access the World Heritage Site, Culture Minister Fadli Zon said on June 5.
A stairlift is a device designed to bring people up and down a stairway.
A temporary stairlift was installed ahead of French President Emmanuel Macron's visit on May 29, which caused a heated debate in Indonesia.
'It was just a trial, so actually it has been planned for quite some time,' Mr Fadli said on June 5, as quoted by Antara news agency.
'This is part of an adaptation for inclusivity especially for those who need it, the seniors. There are bhikkhu (monks), senior visitors or disabled people.'
Mr Fadli said the stairlift would be permanent, adding that the temporary stairlift would be dismantled and replaced with a better structure.
'We will communicate the needs with those who have the expertise to probably make a tailor-made stairlift,' he said.
'The stairlift will not be destructive because it (would) just (be) attached to the railings.'
Previously, the government insisted the stairlift was installed based on a request from the French government so that Mr Macron could ascend Borobudur more quickly and easily.
Despite all the preparations, Mr Macron opted to ascend Borobudur on foot, republika.co.id reported on May 29.
'Borobudur Temple is about as high as a 12-storey building and the French president had limited time in his state visit,' Presidential Communication Office head Hasan Nasbi said on May 26, ahead of Mr Macron's visit.
However, Mr Hasan said there were then suggestions for the stairlift to be made permanent at the temple.
'Initially the stairlift was temporary but then there were suggestions from several groups, such as the Buddhist community and cultural observers, for the stairlift to be made permanent,' he said on May 28, as quoted by kompas.com.
Mr Hasan said the suggestion would make the temple from the 8th century more inclusive, adding that several other World Heritage Sites already provided access for visitors with special needs.
'There is a lift at the Acropolis in Athens as well as at several historical sites in Vietnam,' he said.
However, Mr Hasan said the final decision would lie with the related ministry, the Cultural Heritage Council and Borobudur Temple area management.
Whether the stairlift would be temporary or permanent would be decided through an official meeting and after considerations by the stakeholders.
The case became viral after a video was widely circulated on social media, such as Facebook and X, showing the installation of metal plates and wooden planks on Borobudur Temple's stairs to make way for the lift.
Netizens highlighted the activities, saying the stairlift was installed to allow President Prabowo Subianto to reach the summit, without realizing that Mr Prabowo was scheduled to accompany Mr Macron in a visit to the world's largest Buddhist temple.
Other netizens, however, welcomed the installation of such mobility facilities, saying other World Heritage Sites had already installed lifts, escalators or ramps to allow disabled people in wheelchairs to also visit and enjoy the sites as an inclusivity drive.
Another video shows similar mobility facilities already installed at the Acropolis in Athens, the Coliseum in Rome and the Forbidden City in Beijing. THE JAKARTA POST/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK
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