The division of Papua for the sake of accelerating development

Indonesia officially has 38 provinces after the establishment of four new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua, namely South Papua, Central Papua, Highlands Papua and Southwest Papua.

In the midst of a moratorium policy on regional expansion, the government and Commission II of the Indonesian Parliament agreed that the four new autonomous regions draft laws (RUU) were passed into laws (UU).

The postponement of regional expansion in Indonesia is due to consideration of the country's financial limitations, meeting national strategic needs, political interests, and equal distribution of people's welfare in the regions.

From a financial aspect, the newly formed regions still depend on their income from the state through transfer funds from the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN). Supposedly, the dependency is getting smaller after the new area is formed.

However, the pemekaran moratorium policy is an exception for Papua. The government considers regional divisions in Papua to accelerate equitable distribution of development in Indonesia. With the existence of four new provinces in Tanah Papua, services from the central government to local communities are expected to run more easily.

Consideration of regional expansion in Papua because eastern Indonesia is considered too broad with only two provinces, namely Papua and West Papua. Therefore, three new provinces were passed through a law signed by President Joko Widodo on 25 July 2022.

The three new provinces that have become legal are Law Number 14 of 2022 concerning the Establishment of the South Papua Province, Law Number 15 of 2022 concerning the Establishment of the Central Papua Province, and Law Number 16 of 2022 concerning the Formation of the Papua Mountains Province. Meanwhile, the Bill on the Establishment of the Southwest Papua Province has not yet received a number, but has received approval from the DPR to be passed into law.

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian has also appointed and appointed three acting governors (pj) for the province's new autonomous regions, namely two expert staff at the Ministry of Home Affairs and an expert staff at the Attorney General's Office.

Apolo Safanpo, Expert Staff for Governance at the Ministry of Home Affairs, was appointed Acting Governor of South Papua. Then Ribka Haluk, Expert Staff for Apparatus and Public Interest at the Ministry of Home Affairs who has served as acting regent of Mappi in 2017 and acting regent of Yalimo (2021) has been appointed as Acting Governor of Central Papua. Subsequently, Expert Staff for Inter-Institutional Relations and International Cooperation at the AGO, Nikolaus Kondomo, became Acting Governor of Papua Mountains.

South Papua Province originates from parts of Papua Province, which include Merauke Regency as the provincial capital, Boven Digoel Regency, Mappi Regency and Asmat Regency. Central Papua Province originates from parts of Papua Province, namely Nabire Regency as the provincial capital, Puncak Jaya Regency, Paniai Regency, Mimika Regency, Puncak Regency, Dogiyai Regency, Intan Jaya Regency and Deiyai Regency.

The Province of Papua Mountains also originates from parts of the Province of Papua, consisting of Jayawijaya Regency as the provincial capital, Mountains Bintang Regency, Yahukimo Regency, Tolikara Regency, Central Mamberamo Regency, Yalimo Regency, Lanny Jaya Regency and Nduga Regency. Meanwhile, in the draft Bill on the Formation of the Southwest Papua Province, the area that was split from West Papua Province includes four districts, namely Sorong, South Sorong, Raja Ampat, Tambrauw, and Maybrat; and Sorong City.

Expansion moratorium exceptions
Based on Law Number 2 of 2021 concerning the Second Amendment to Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy for the Papua Province, regional divisions in the Land of Papua can be carried out with the approval of the Papuan People's Council (MRP) and the Papuan People's Representative Council (DPRP) taking into account unity social and cultural, preparedness of human resources (HR), economic capacity, and future development.

The formation of new autonomous regions in Papua, still regulated in the law, aims to accelerate equitable development, improve public services, realize community welfare, and elevate the dignity of the indigenous Papuans (OAP). Expansion must also guarantee and provide space for OAP in political, governmental, economic, social and cultural activities.

Deputy President Ma'ruf Amin, who is also chairman of the Regional Autonomy Advisory Council (DPOD), stated that an exception to the moratorium on regional expansion policies applies to Papua because the area still requires special attention from the central government.

The provinces of Papua and West Papua have special needs, both to improve services due to their large areas and to accelerate the welfare of the local community.

In practice, the allocation of transfer funds to the new autonomous regions is still going through the parent province, namely for South Papua, Central Papua and Mountain Papua originating from Papua; while Papua Barat Daya from West Papua. Meanwhile, regarding filling in the number of seats for the DPR RI, DPD RI, the new provincial DPRD, as well as the determination of electoral districts in the 2024 Simultaneous General Election (Pemilu) are regulated in a government regulation in lieu of election law (perppu) which will be regulated later.

Regarding the three acting governors in the new province, the central government requested five things: to make the new autonomous region a breakthrough in accelerating development in the Land of Papua, to formulate an integrated roadmap and concrete actions in line with the stages of the 2024 elections, to prepare a development design according to the Master Plan for the Acceleration of Development in Papua 2022- 2041, strengthening program and funding synchronization with the central government, as well as strengthening social communication with all elements of society.

With the division of regions in Papua, it is hoped that the goal of decentralization for equitable distribution of development in the country will soon be realized and will open up opportunities to develop regional potential.

SOURCE : https://papuabarat.antaranews.com/berita/23777/pemekaran-papua-demi-percepatan-pembangun