Fadli Zon Defends New Building at Jakarta Palace

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto is currently constructing a new building on the grounds of the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. Culture Minister Fadli Zon stated that the structure is necessary because the palace complex frequently lacks space for large events.

According to Fadli, the government often has to erect tents for forums at the palace, including for cabinet meetings. "Here, we often lack space for, for example, holding large meetings," he said when met at the palace on Tuesday, July 7, 2026.

The Gerindra Party politician noted that the building currently under construction could function as a multipurpose facility. However, Fadli stated that its final allocation would be determined by the State Secretariat and the Cabinet Secretariat.

He expressed hope that a new building at the palace will be used as new meeting venues. "Indeed, we lack space. Just look, it's very narrow and small," he said.

Fadli maintained that the construction of the new building does not violate Law No. 11/2010 on Cultural Heritage. He asserted that the structure is being built on vacant land and will not alter the architecture of the State Palace or the Merdeka Palace, both of which are designated cultural heritage sites.

The construction of the new building at the palace has been questioned by the Indonesian Green Party, a political faction that advocates environmental issues. John Muhammad from the national presidium of the Indonesian Green Party stated that the construction is suspected of violating the Cultural Heritage Law.

Citing satellite imagery, John said the area under development was previously a wooded plot. Its appearance has apparently shifted into a construction zone since at least mid-2025. The construction site is situated on the eastern grounds of the Merdeka Palace.

John, who is an architect, suspects that the project fails to meet necessary legal requirements. These prerequisites include a feasibility study, recommendations from cultural heritage expert teams, public transparency, and integrated oversight.

All of these procedures should have been made transparent to the public. "So far, no information has been provided to the public, and failing to meet these requirements could incur punishment," John said on Thursday, July 2, 2026. Under the Cultural Heritage Law, such violations carry a maximum prison sentence of 15 years and a fine of up to Rp5 billion.

John noted that developments within the palace zone ought to involve the House of Representatives, the Regional Legislative Council, and the People's Consultative Assembly. According to him, the Regional Legislative Council and the Jakarta Governor must also provide recommendations and formal approval for any development within the palace grounds.

Tempo covered the construction of the new palace building in its July 7, 2026 edition. Read the full report here.

Ervana Trikarinaputri contributed to this article

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