PORTALJABAR, SUKABUMI REGENCY - Head of the West Java Housing and Settlement Agency, Indra Maha, emphasized that the construction cost of the giant turtle replica in Gadobangkong Square, Sukabumi Regency was not Rp15.6 billion as widely reported by the public.

According to him, the budget of Rp15.6 billion or precisely Rp15,679,756,800 was used to build the entire complex of the seaside town square. Its components are not only turtle replicas, but also include facilities and infrastructure such as selfie decks , leuits, culinary buildings.

The budget of IDR 15.6 billion is also used for site development work in the form of plazas, roads, parking areas, pedestrian areas, parks, channels, and town square signage , with a total area of 9,812 square meters.

Indra ensured that the turtle statue was made of resin which is not cheap, while cardboard was used to mold the turtle shape and bamboo as a support.

"So it's not made of cardboard, but cardboard is only used as the forming material," said Indra Maha.

The giant resin turtle replica was damaged by visitors who climbed and sat on the turtle's shell, even though a selfie deck had been provided below.

"In practice, turtles are not only photo objects, but there are visitors who take photos while sitting on the turtle replica, so it gets damaged," said Indra.

Indra explained that the Gadobangkong Square had actually been completed by the contractor a long time ago.

The arrangement has passed all stages including: planning, procurement, physical construction, first handover, accountability for inspection, physical post-construction maintenance, to final handover.

In March 2024, said Indra, there was a tidal wave that caused the park area to be submerged in tidal floods for five days, causing damage.

Because at the time of the disaster it was still under maintenance, the contractor repaired the town square, until it was finally handed over from the Province to the Sukabumi Regency Government on September 12, 2024 .

Following the social media buzz about the cardboard turtle replica worth IDR 15.6 billion, the provincial government immediately coordinated with the Sukabumi Regency government.

Currently, Indra said, the contractor is repairing the damage to the giant turtle replica, as a form of ownership of the facility. "They feel part of the Sukabumi Regency community," Indra concluded.