Banjar Village of Sungai Jingah discussed in KSI

Director General of Culture of the Ministry of Education and Culture Hilmar Farid (far right). (Antaranews Kalsel/Hasan Z)

I will go to Banjarmasin, and please meet me with the mayor of Banjarmasin, we talk together,

Banjarmasin, S Kalimantan (ANTARA) - Banjar Village of Sungai Jingah in Banjarmasin City, South Kalimantan, has become the talk in the 4th Indonesian River Congress (KSI) in Cibubur, Sunday (24/3).

The KSI was opened by the Director General of Water Resources (SDA) Ministry of Public Work and Public Housing (PUPR) Hari Suprayogi, said Mohammad Ary from the River Care Community (Melingai) Banjarmasin on Monday.

The problem of the Banjar village, he said here, emerged when Director General of Culture Hilmar Farid presented his presentation in KSI which was attended by around 500 participants from all over Indonesia.

Hilmar Farid in his presentation themed "Glorifying the river as the center of civilization," reminded that the river is life and civilization that must be preserved, including the culture that strengthens the river itself.

The Melingai member Akhmad Arifin then said in Banjarmasin there was an old village called Sungai Jingah, located right on the banks of the Martapura River, here there were at least 20 old houses whose conditions were of concern.

The old houses if managed properly by the government will become a tourist destination which is expected to attract many tourists.

The Director General responded by suggesting that the mayor establishes the village as a cultural preserve, so that the central government can help revitalize the banjar traditional house.

Hilmar Farid promised to come to see the Sungai Jingah Banjar village next April.

The Director General who was born in Bonn, West Germany, asked the Melingai community to bring themselves to the Banjarmasin Mayor Ibnu Sina to discuss the matter.

"I will go to Banjarmasin, and please meet me with the mayor of Banjarmasin, we talk together," said Helmar Farid, who also known as a historian.

Melingai sent seven members to participate in 4th KSI aimed at preserving rivers in the country. They are Mohammad Ary, Akhmad Arifin, Feri Lens, Hasan Zainuddin, Muhamad Ridha, Yusni Anani, and Syahbudin.