Hindu figures reject Pura Besakih in KSPN

The central government, through the Kemenparekraf (Ministry of Tourism RI), which included the Pura Besakih area in the National Tourism Strategic Area (KSPN) program without any coordination with the local government, was strongly opposed by various religious leaders. The reason is, the temple is a spiritual area not a tourism area based on economy. The rejection was expressed by the Chairman of Parisada Hindu Dharma Indonesia (PHDI) Bali, Dr. Drs. I Gusti Ngurah Sudiana, M.Sc., lecturer in the Denpasar Hindu Dharma Institute (IHDN), Made Adi Brahman, S.Ag., M.Fil., H., and Chair of the Tourism Destination Undergraduate Study Program, Faculty of Tourism, Udayana University , I Gusti Agung Oka Mahagangga, S. Sos., M.Sc., Thursday (9/19) yesterday.

Ngurah Sudiana said, the central government in issuing decisions concerning the regions must coordinate with the regional government. Moreover, the decision on the stipulation of Besakih Temple as KSPN could trigger a commotion because the verdict was issued without coordination with the local government and Hindu figures in Bali. '' The government, especially the Central House of Representatives and the Bali Regional House of Representatives, should be careful when determining strategic areas for tourism. We are a little wrong doing that then what happens is the pros and cons in the community and lead to a commotion, '' he said while reminding the rigors of awig-awig in Bali.

As Chairman of the Bali PHDI, Ngurah Sudiana also appealed to the Government of the Province of Bali not to deliver decisions to the center before discussions with Balinese community leaders. Moreover, this concerns policies that can disturb the sanctity of the holy place. Tourism orientation is money and economy while the orientation of holy places is spiritual. "Determination of the sacred area as a national tourism area will bring an unfavorable impact on the meaning and significance of the sacred area itself," he stressed.

The same thing was conveyed by Adi Brahman, the temple as a spiritual area cannot be compared to the tourism area because each temple structure is a symbol of God's omnipotence that must be maintained. Adi appealed, still needs to be discussed if the temple really wants to be a strategic tourism area by the central government.

Meanwhile, Oka Mahagangga, said that the area of ​​Pura Besakih was included in the KSPN program of the central government through Kemenparekraf already stipulated in Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia No. 50 of 2011 concerning the National Tourism Development Master Plan 2010-2025. Nevertheless, he agreed with what was said by the Head of the Udayana University Culture and Tourism Research Center, Dr. Agung Suryawan Wiranatha, that the local government must question the entry of Besakih in the KSPN because the area is not a tourist area and the Besakih Temple area is not included as part of the Bali tourism area.

According to this Alumni Anthropologist, this problem must be seen from the aspects of legality, social aspects and cultural aspects. From the legal aspect if it refers to RI Law No. 10 of 2009 concerning tourism, article 8 stressed, tourism development is carried out based on the tourism development master plan consisting of the national tourism development master plan, the provincial tourism development master plan, and the district / city tourism development master plan. Tourism development is an integral part of the national long-term development plan. The problem is, when the national tourism development master plan and the provincial or district / city tourism master plan which are implemented in the Provincial and Regency / City Regional Regulations are not in line. '' In Bali Province Regulation No. 2 of 2012 concerning Bali Cultural Tourism, article 5 clearly states, the development of Bali cultural tourism is carried out based on the Bali Provincial Spatial Plan (RTRW), '' he explained.

Seen from the social and cultural aspects, the establishment of Besakih Temple as KSPN can be a double-edged knife. On the one hand it will provide socio-economic benefits for local residents and increased PAD. But on the other hand, a tourist destination that develops without continuous law inforcement will have a domino impact such as the disruption of Hindus carrying out ritual activities, changes in people's mindset, cultural degradation, environmental damage, demographics, traffic jams, and even criminality. "Hopefully the designation of Besakih Temple as KSPN is not driven by political interests, let alone the interests of investors," he said.

It was published in the Bali Post Daily September 20, 2013