Surabaya, E Java (Antara) - The Education and Culture Ministry has awarded a medal to the Surabaya city government for its efforts in caring for culture preserves. Secretary of the Surabaya city administration Hendro Gunawan said on Saturday that he was representing Surabaya Mayor Tri Rismaharini in receiving the medal from Deputy Education and Culture Minister Wiendu Nuryanti at the National Museum in Jakarta on Friday night, Sept 5. "Besides Surabaya, similar medals were also given to the Semarang, Surakarta, Yogyakarta and Sawah Lunto city governments," he said. Hendro said the Surabaya city government had been committed to protecting culture preserves by providing assistance, compensation, licensing privileges and incentives to the owners of buildings declared culture preserves. Under regulation of the Surabaya mayor number 59 of 2007 on the conservation of buildings and environments declared culture preserves, the assistance could come in the form of periodical maintenance and consultations, he said. Additionally, the compensation could cover tax relief or reduced levies, he said. The regulation also controlled the mechanism of reward and fines. The regulation stipulates that owners of buildings declared culture preserves who have consistently cared for their buildings deserve to receive awards from the Surabaya mayor. On the other hand, if they renovate or demolish buildings without abiding by proper procedures, owners will be subject to sanctions, he said. Hendro, who is former chief of the Surabaya city development planning agency (Bappeko), said the city administration has intensively encouraged the private sector to become involved in the conservation of culture preserves. "Thank God the public, particularly the private sector, have positively responded to the call. This means that awareness of the need to care about culture preserves has really been instilled in the people of Surabaya," he said. (*) reporting by Abdul Hakim

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