Broken Heart at the Malikussaleh Museum |

over 3 years ago (Edited)

The museum is the only magnificent building that is clearly visible. The museum is the only magnificent building that is clearly visible. Located in Desa (village) Beuringen, Kecamatan Samudera, Aceh Utara, about 16.9 kilometers east of Kota Lhokseumawe.

From Kota Lhokseumawe, this location can be reached in only about 28 minutes. There are no jammed hours from Lhokseumawe to get there.

Malikussaleh is derived from the name of the sultan of the Islamic Kingdom of Samudra Pasai, whose tomb is also found in Desa Beuringen. The location of Malikussaleh Tomb is only about 200 meters from the Tomb of Sultan Malikussaleh. Apart from the two historical sites, Desa Beuringen also has the Sultanah Nahrisyah Dining Complex which is closer to the beach.

So, provide sufficient time to visit the three sites in one day. It's a shame if you miss one of the locations.

The Malikussaleh Museum was built in 2011 and completed in 2016 at a cost of more than Rp. 7 billion, which came from the Special Autonomy fund. In accordance with applicable regulations in Indonesia, Aceh has received Special Autonomy with a number of features that are not available to other provinces in Indonesia.

The grandeur of the Malikussaleh Museum and the high cost allocated there, are not in line with the use of the building. When we visited there, the first week of September 2020, the Malikussaleh Museum looked neglected. Weeds grow wild around the building, garbage is also scattered, even on top of the building.

Maybe this building is proof of the character of this nation that can build but can't maintain. The magnificent building is in danger of being wasted if it is not immediately used. The Malikussaleh Museum has not been utilized, but the building has been damaged at several points. There are cracks in the warehouse, the paint is already peeling off.

The drainage system around the building has not been built. According to some local residents, when it rains, it often causes flooding around the building. This will be homework for the Kabupaten Aceh Utara Government in the future.

Apart from building a drainage system that can handle floods, another infrastructure that must be built is the road to the Museum which must be smoother. After passing through the main paved road, the road conditions to the location of the Museum are very bad. Not only is there no asphalt, but there is a big hole that makes the car run aground if you are not careful.

Three other facilities that must exist are the need for water for prayer and hand washing, a clean and representative building for eating and drinking, and a souvenir sales building which is one of the favorite places for tourists. Hopefully everything is available and running smoothly when the Malikussaleh Museum functions in the future.

The museum is a prestigious tourist destination in developed countries. One of the city museums in the world that I have ever visited is Washington DC, United States. There are various museums that attract tourists. There are several museums that charge a high entrance fee.

Unlike in Indonesia. Museum entrance fees are very low, some museums do not provide guides who are able to explain the museum in an interesting way. I once visited the Sonobudoyo Museum in Yogyakarta and the guide there, who speaks several world languages, recognizes all the objects on display there as if he knows himself.

There is still a long way to go for the Malikussaleh Museum to get there. However, if it doesn't start now, it will never arrive. []