House Emphasizes Retaining Heritage in Reconstructing Sade Traditional Village

RRI.CO.ID, Praya – Member of Indonesia's House of Representatives (DPR) Singgih Januratmoko has called for the reconstruction of Sade Traditional Village in Central Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara, to be expedited following a fire days ago. He said reconstruction should begin as soon as possible so residents can resume their normal activities.

"The most important thing is to carry out the reconstruction immediately. I asked whether it could be completed within six months, and they are trying to make sure it is completed in less than six months so that all activities can resume properly," Singgih said while inspecting the village on Friday, 28 August 2026.

Singgih stressed that the reconstruction must preserve the traditional character and layout of Sade Traditional Village passed down through generations. He said the rebuilding should follow the area’s original design while continuing to involve the indigenous community in the planning process.

"The hope is that, as the village head explained, the village will be rebuilt according to its original concept. This tradition has been passed down through generations. All the building materials will match those originally used," he said, as quoted from the DPR website.

However, Singgih cautioned that safety considerations must not be overlooked during the reconstruction. The central and local governments, together with the indigenous community, need to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the area’s fire mitigation system.

He said traditional buildings in Sade, which use highly flammable materials, must be taken into consideration when designing safety measures. Electrical installations and the use of open flames should also be improved to minimize the fire risk.

“These houses were originally old, traditional structures. Then electricity and other installations were introduced. The wiring and other connections were not properly arranged, creating a very high risk of fire,” Singgih explained.

Therefore, he called for mitigation measures to be made an integral part of the reconstruction plan. Electrical systems, lighting, and the use of cooking equipment should all be discussed while ensuring that the area’s traditional character is preserved.

“All aspects of future mitigation need to be discussed. The buildings will indeed be restored to their original form, but electricity and the use of oil or cooking stoves also need to be considered because the building materials are highly flammable,” he said.

Singgih, a member of the Golkar Party, added that the local government had expressed its commitment to rebuilding Sade Traditional Village while preserving its traditional concept. He hoped this commitment would be implemented promptly, with the indigenous community involved from planning through to construction.

Beyond physical recovery, Singgih said restoring the local economy should also be part of the post-fire response, as several residents’ businesses were affected. He therefore called for the National Islamic Alms Management Agency (Baznas) to provide livelihood support to residents who lost their business premises.

“Many businesses were affected, and several business premises were also burned. God willing, we will involve Baznas in providing productive assistance so that the economy can recover and residents’ businesses can resume,” Singgih concluded.