Pito Agustin Rudiana, Yogyakarta – Confusion arose over reports of an escalator being installed at Borobudur Temple to accommodate the visit of French President Emmanuel Macron and Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto.
Upashaka Pandhita Tarra Lozhang, a senior member of Parisadha Wajrayana Kasogatan, stated that the use of the term "escalator" has led the public to believe that a shopping mall-style escalator would be installed at the Buddhist temple.
"If an escalator is installed for standing passengers like the ones in malls, we object. But if the state insists, we have no right to reject it. We can only express our disappointment," said Tarra Lozhang when contacted by Tempo on the evening of Monday, May 26, 2025.
He argued that installing a mall-style escalator would damage the historical Buddhist site. However, if the device being installed is a stairlift, as explained by Presidential Communication Office (PCO) Head Hasan Nasbi, it should still be carefully considered to ensure it doesn't alter the temple's structure.
Hasan Nasbi confirmed that President Emmanuel Macron is scheduled to visit Borobudur Temple in Magelang Regency on May 28 or 29, 2025. The Indonesian government is accommodating the visit by preparing a stairlift to help Macron reach the top of the temple. President Prabowo Subianto will accompany him.
Tarra Lozhang said it remains unclear whether the stairlift would be safe for the temple site. He pointed out that parts of the installation might be attached directly to the temple's structure. So far, according to him, the Buddhist community has not been consulted about the plan to install the stairlift to assist Macron and Prabowo.
"The stones of the temple are locked in place through a key system. Adding weight could cause displacement. Will it be cemented or drilled for stability? That would alter both the structure and aesthetics," he said.
Tarra emphasized that the stairlift installation involves two important considerations: national interests and heritage protection. To meet both needs, he proposed two alternative solutions.
"First, they could be carried using a ceremonial state litter," he said.
Tarra explained that elderly monks participating in religious rituals at Borobudur are often carried to the top of the temple by two or three people.
The second alternative is to cover the stairs with wood from bottom to top, allowing a wheelchair to be pushed along the surface. He noted that similar accessibility measures exist at Angkor Wat in Cambodia and the Shwedagon Pagoda in Myanmar.
"Borobudur's stairs are steeper for wheelchairs, so additional safety precautions would be needed," he added.
Tarra believes these two alternatives could help prevent serious damage to the site.
"Or the government could consider another method that doesn't endanger the temple but still supports national interests," he stressed.
Meanwhile, Ashar Saputra, a lecturer at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Gadjah Mada University (UGM), clarified that a stairlift is indeed a type of escalator – but not one designed to carry multiple passengers like those in shopping malls. Instead, it is a single-user lift that uses a chair to move along stairs.
"It's a rail platform that lifts one person up a staircase using a chair. That's all," he explained.
From an engineering standpoint, installing a stairlift does not place a heavy load on the structure, as it only carries one person at a time. According to mechanical team standards, the lift can handle a maximum of around 250 kilograms.
"For safety, assuming two to three trips, each user should weigh no more than 100 kilograms," he said.
He also noted that the stairlift installation at Borobudur is reportedly being supervised by a UNESCO team to ensure that no actions violate the preservation guidelines for UNESCO World Heritage sites.
"I'm not involved directly, but from what I've heard, there will be no nailing or concrete work during the installation," Ashar said.
The platform will not be affixed directly to the temple's surface. Instead, it will be cushioned with foam, followed by layers of wood, before the base of the stairlift is installed.
"The foam is placed in a specific position. It doesn't need to be glued or locked in place," he added.
Abroad, stairlifts are commonly used, even in private homes, making them essentially personal escalators. They are typically installed to assist people with physical limitations in moving up and down stairs.
Although stairlifts are still rare in Indonesia, Ashar hopes that the system could eventually be used to assist elderly monks in reaching the top of the temple, not just presidents.
"They [the monks] should also be given the same facilities, not only the president," Ashar said.