Jokowi: Expansion of the Papua Region Facilitates Service Outreach

President Joko Widodo emphasized that regional expansion in the land of Papua is one of the efforts to create equitable development. In addition, with the existence of three new autonomous regions, namely South Papua Province, Central Papua Province, and Highlands Papua Province, it is hoped that it will facilitate the outreach of services in the vast land of Papua.

"This is in the framework of equitable development because the land of Papua is too broad if there are only two provinces, too wide. In order to facilitate the reach of services, new autonomous regions have been built," said the President.

Regional expansion in Papua is an aspiration that comes from the Papuan people themselves. This aspiration has been around for several years and comes from various community groups in various regions.

“This is us, I myself heard, the government hears requests from below. I'm going to Merauke, ask. I went to the Central Mountains, groups came to me asking for it and it was 7 years ago, 6 years ago, 5 years ago and we are following it up slowly. This is a request from below, from the groups that are here," he explained.

Meanwhile, the Head of the Indigenous Anim Ha of Merauke Regency, Mappi Regency, Boven Digoel Regency, and Asmat Regency, Papua Paskalis Imadawa expressed his support for the New Autonomous Region (DOB) of South Papua Province. According to him, the formation of this new autonomous region can bring justice in equitable distribution of development both in the infrastructure, infrastructure and human resources (HR) sectors.

He emphasized that the struggle to realize the South Papua New Autonomous Region had gone very far and there were no words to think about it again. Paskalis also conveyed that most Papuans honestly and openly want the new autonomous region to be present in Papua as soon as possible.

Paskalis revealed that the development and improvement of the quality of education in South Papua had not been touched at all. Therefore, he wants DOB to be executed as soon as possible. His party also confirmed that they were unanimous in supporting the new autonomous region from the South. Pemekaran can help accelerate development in Papua Province.

SOURCE : https://timenya.online/2022/12/08/jokowi-pemekaran-territory-papua-mempermudah-reachan-pelayanan/