Vihara Dharma Bhakti as it looked before yesterday’s fire
After the terrible early morning fire yesterday that gutted Vihara Dharma Bhakti, Jakarta’s oldest Chinese temple, the capital’s Chinese community is coming together to help rebuild the 400-year-old worship site.
The capital’s most famous Chinese-Indonesian politician, Governor Basuki “Ahok” Tjahaja Purnama, has also pledged to do what he can to help restore the temple to its former glory.
“We’re going to help so that it can be the same as before. If they want to apply for funding. there may be a way for us to help,” Ahok said at at City Hall this morning, as quoted by Tribunnews.
Ahok said the government might be able to contribute to the temple’s rebuilding through the city’s emergency aid budget. He also said private companies and citizens wishing to help should contribute to the temple’s rebuilding fund.
“What is important is that the design be kept exactly the same because [the temple] is hundreds of years old. It is a part of our cultural heritage so I expect it to keep exactly the same design,” Ahok said.
