Jakarta’s ‘Kota Tua’ and Melaka are now sister cities

Jakarta’s Kota Tua (Old Town) and and the city of Melaka in Malaysia, were inaugurated as sister cities at The Ritz-Carlton Jakarta, Pacific Place, on Dec. 12 as part of the Wonderful Indonesia tourism campaign.

According to Deputy Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sapta Nirwandar who attended the inauguration ceremony, although there are other cities in Indonesia that have Old Town areas, Jakarta’s Kota Tua in the northern part of the city is a more suitable choice.

“Semarang, Bandung, Medan and other cities have their own version of Kota Tua. But due the proximity between Jakarta and Melaka, historical background and other considerations, the capital is the best option to become the sister city of Melaka,” said Sapta.

Those considerations include similarities in old colonial buildings, Chinatown area, cultures and both cities’ role as tourist destinations.

Jakarta Deputy Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahja Purnama and Melaka Chief Minister Idris Haron closed the inauguration ceremony by signing the agreement document and showing pictures and illustrations of both cities’ Old Town areas.

“I hope this agreement can further increase Jakarta’s potential as a tourist destination and make it a better city,” said Basuki.

Kota Tua, once known as Old Batavia in reference to the capital’s moniker in Dutch, was a center of commerce for the whole island of Java during the colonial era.

Built by the Dutch in the early 1600s, Kota Tua is home to five museums, including the Wayang Museum and Bank Indonesia Museum.

Today the area is popular among the capital’s sightseers, as it hosts many historical buildings boasting Dutch-style façades and classic architectural designs.

The city administration has plans to rejuvenate the Old Town next year.

The revitalization plan will include rehabilitation of hundreds old buildings in the area, improving public transportation to the area and holding various cultural events to attract visitors and create an interesting atmosphere.