Old feud stalls rebuilding of fire-ruined Chinese temple in Jakarta as flames of dispute still burn
Power struggle within foundation that manages the Dharma Bhakti temple means little progress has been made since a devastating 2015 fire, while the mixing of politics with religion threatens to further frustrate worshippers
Since a devastating fire tore through one of Indonesia’s oldest Chinese temples nearly three years ago, little progress has been made on restoring the centuries-old structure.
No one is certain when construction will begin. That is despite a groundbreaking ceremony that was supposed to kick off the process in July last year. What is known is that the main reason for the delay is a feud between two factions of the foundation in charge of managing the temple.
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The wooden beams and columns of the Dharma Bhakti Chinese temple, in Jakarta’s Chinatown district of Glodok, were charred beyond repair as a result of the fire. Intricate carvings and ornaments are no longer recognisable. Tarpaulin sheets tied to flimsy bamboo poles stand in place of the missing roof tiles.
All parties involved agree that the structure must be completely demolished and rebuilt from scratch for safety reasons – and to rid the site of bad luck.
The Dharma Bhakti temple – also known by its Hokkien name Kim Tek Ie, or Jin De Yuan in Mandarin – is an important heritage site for the Chinese community in the Muslim-majority nation.
When the South China Morning Post visited recently, several workers came and went collecting floor tiles and sacks of cement littering the interior. But workers said the materials were for the temple complex’s courtyard, and not for renovating the historic structure itself.