Bali News

The history of Garuda Wisnu Kencana establishment can be said full of problem and controversy. Starting from its concept, planning, and project implementation always triggers controversy. What makes it sad was the big plan behind that mega project establishment management is threatened to be absolutely small since this project keep neglected for years. Moreover, as this project always harvesting controversy, the greatness that once imagined by the innovator precisely become cloudy. As what Minang’s tamsil said “indah kabar dari rupa” – beautiful news comes from its face –

It was so dissatisfying. When firstly it was brought to the surface in the beginning of 1990’s GWK project was welcoming enthusiastically from the officials. Besides the main initiator, sculptor Nyoman Nuarta, there were also list of popular names at that time which supported GWK. Those were Menparpostel Joop Ave, the late Mentamben Ida Bagus Sudjana and Bali Governor of that time, Ida Bagus Mantra sit in the foundation of Garuda Wisnu Kencana. Even Soeharto as the president of that time also supported this project. Telkom fund also gave fund to this project for about 30 billion Rupiah in 1996.

The first failure also as its main mistake from GWK project that the inability to convince all or half of Bali’s people in their spiritual perspective. Since the beginning the establishment of God Wisnu sculpture riding His Garuda on the South, at the foot of Bali Island, had triggered public reaction in Bali. Some of them said it was suitable but not little of them said that it was inappropriate.

Its second failure, the project lack of fund back-up, so when there was economic crisis in 1997, the implementation of this project starting to collapse. Those who involved within it starting to had conflict. Several entrepreneurs in the group weren’t united and broken. The last of them who survived was PT Garuda Adhimatra Indonesia (GAIN) and now manage GWK. This company who is under GWK foundation also cannot do many things since they lack of fund.

The main Commissary of PT GAIN Nyoman Nuarta said that as far as his effort to maintain the project, he sold lot of his art works. “Only the craziest men like me who can remain to be here for about 20 years since economically it not yet bring any profit. It was my idealism that keeps me from running away and because I believe GWK is so great and will not merely become national tourism icon but also in international world. Imagine that it was only 15-20 percents of this project which is finished and there were lot of Head of State came to GWK,” said Nuarta.

He assessed that it is indeed they have difficulty in fund. The initital value of its project was for about 400 billion Rupiah in 90’s and get increased into 2 trillion and still cannot be covered. Recently political track is tried. Big figures like Joop Ave, Menbudpar Jero Wacik and Made Mangku Pastika himself convince central government.

In 2007, President Yudhoyono had already intervene forced GWK finishing so it can be announced officially together with 100 years of National Resurrection on May 10th 2008. But still it was no use the project remains to be impeded.

Investors seem too reluctant to involve themselves. This was strange thought through PT GAIN presentation as GWK organizer; infestation in this project was totally profitable. “This project extremely visible,” said Nuarta in several occasion. That thing wasn’t lie, because aside from being a cultural park, this area also stand as shopping center and activity center such s MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition).

Until today the establishment can be said as 20 percent finished as for Wisnu and Garuda sculpture which is still separated, performance court, amphitheatre, restaurant, exhibition room and several souvenir shops. It had spent more than 300 billion. Executive Manager of PT GAIN, Gde Budi Hartawan confessed that since 2001 GWK had become the organizer of many activities. “Several opening and closing ceremony such as MICE was held in GWK, “said by him.

He also said that for GWK visitor for adult is about 20.000 Rupiah and Rp 15.000 for children. If we take the average number of visiting there are 2.000 people and 8.000 when there is holiday. Nuarta admitted that every activities and ticket income isn’t enough to covered operational charge including for the employees payment for more than 400 employees. Not to mention about tax and other things. He was determined to fix GWK by any means.

According to Nuarta, what is in hurried to be finished was the sculpture of Wisnu riding His Garuda and its pedestal as the buffer. Nuarta estimated that to fix the sculpture he need fund for about 750 billion Rupiah. To fix the whole project he needs 1 trillion Rupiah. If the sculpture has been fixed, Nuarta optimist that many investor will joined the project since the taksu of GWK resides in the sculpture.

News by Bali Post