"The government should discuss both the (reasons) and the objectives, then explain them to the public," he said in a statement received here on Monday.
He made the statement in response to the government's plan to increase the fee to Rp750 thousand per person for domestic tourists wishing to climb to the stupa area of Borobudur Temple, Magelang, Central Java, and limit the number of daily visitors to 1,200.
The government is also planning to raise the fee for foreign tourists to US$100, or around Rp1.45 million per person.
The plan to increase the fee could be aimed at limiting the number of tourists going to the stupa area of Borobudur Temple as a means to preserve the cultural heritage, Soesatyo opined.
"Borobudur Temple is a historical site and (is prone to damage), so it must constantly be taken care of," he said.
The government must also inform the public that a fee of Rp50 thousand will still be charged to tourists visiting Borobudur Temple who do not go up to the stupa area, he added.
He also asked the government to maintain transparency and list other considerations it took into account when deciding to increase the fee, apart from preserving cultural heritage.
"So that people can understand the reasoning," he said.
The People Consultative's Assembly expects the government to take public suggestions and opinions into account prior to changing the fee.
Should the prospective fee be applied, the government must conduct regular monitoring and evaluation to make sure that the additional earnings are properly allocated for the stupa's maintenance, he added.
He recommended further study and adjustments in the event that evaluations find the rate to be too high.
The People's Consultative Assembly also urged the government to ask everyone to help preserve national cultural heritage together, including Borobudur Temple.
"Compelling the public to understand that special treatment is needed to pursue these (goals); however, we hope that this will not burden the people, since the heritage, Borobudur Temple, is one of the historical (tourism sites) that also needs to be preserved from generation to generation," he added.
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Translator: Riza Harahap, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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