Indonesia’s Penyengat Island to be world center for Islam Malay culture

Penyengat Island has a very important role related to the Riau–Lingga–Johor–Pahang kingdom and the Riau–Lingga kingdom, especially in the 18th century.

 

Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno is making Penyengat Island one of the top 75 Indonesian Tourism Village Awards (locally known as its abbreviation ADWI) 2023 as a world center for the study of Islam Malay culture.

After touring the Penyengat Island Tourism Village, in Tanjung Pinang, Riau Islands province, on Saturday (July 29), Sandiaga said Penyengat Island has a very important role in relation to the Riau–Lingga–Johor–Pahang kingdom and the Riau–Lingga kingdom, especially in the 18th century.

Until now, Penyengat Island is still a mainstay destination for foreign tourists coming from Singapore, Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam to explore Malay culture, the minister said in a statement in the website of the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy as quoted by Indonesia Window, Monday.

“For this reason, God willing, I will develop the facilitation through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology for various policy interventions including that on effort to make a world center for the study of Islam Malay culture,” he said.

As an island that was once the seat of government for the Riau-Lingga Kingdom, the historical island still retains structures, historical buildings and tombs of royal dignitaries around the island.

Religious tourism is one of the tourist activities that can be done on Penyengat Island. In addition, tourists can travel to the past by visiting various heritage buildings and taking lessons for the present.

Several historic relics that are still preserved include the Great Mosque of Sultan Riau which was made of building materials including albumen, the tombs of the kings, the tomb of the national hero Raja Ali Haji, the Office Palace complex to the fort on Bukit Kursi.

“I will continue to push for it because it has become part of ADWI. It is the responsibility of the central government to collaborate together. And later we will add the business community that we will invite to participate in building togetherness in this Penyengat Island Tourism Village,” Sandiaga said.

“Because our target is to provide 4.4 million new jobs and we hope 2,400 people here (in Penyengat Island) can increase their welfare,” he said.

Governor of Riau Islands province Ansar Ahmad explained that there are several things that need to be addressed in the Penyengat Island Tourism Village, including the electric bicycle pilot project that will be presented at the village.

According to Ansar, there are several road points around the village that are uphill and the project needs to be followed up to make it run optimally.

“In addition, we will also add sparkling lights to Penyengat Island. So that it will not only be visited by people during the day but also at night,” the governor said.

“God willing, slowly we will push Penyengat Island not only to become a mainstay tourist area but a multifunctional area such as a zero carbon area, a heritage area and a religious tourism area as well as an area for writing tours,” he said.

“The history of the kingdom in the past including that on the strength of the fighters on Penyengat Island was due to writings by their pens, and thus the Gurindam Dua Belas (an old literature work) appeared and many reliable books that we have secured and we have started digitizing so that they are not damaged,” he said.

Reporting by Indonesia Window