Southwest Papua Province Inaugurated, Indonesia Now Has 38 Provinces

The Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) on behalf of Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) inaugurated Southwest Papua as a new province in the country, Friday (09/12/2022), at the Sasana Bhakti Praja Building, Ministry of Home Affairs (Kemendagri) Head Office, Jakarta. With this inauguration, Indonesia now has 38 provinces.

"By the grace of God Almighty, today, Friday, December 9, 2022, located in Jakarta, I am the Minister of Home Affairs on behalf of the President of the Republic of Indonesia hereby inaugurate the Southwest Papua Province based on Law Number 29 of 2022," said Tito .

The formation of the Southwest Papua Province along with the other three new autonomous regions (DOB) in Papua is part of an effort to accelerate equitable distribution of development and welfare of the Papuan people.

"Our hope is that the Southwest Papua Province will once again accelerate development in Papua for the welfare of the Papuan people, including and primarily the indigenous Papuans, apart from of course the other residents there. Our hope will also shorten the bureaucracy. There is no need for coordination later, communication must go to Manokwari, from Sorong Raya it is enough to go to Sorong City as the capital city," said Tito.

The formation and inauguration of the Southwest Papua Province, continued the Minister of Home Affairs, was also carried out based on the aspirations of the Papuan people.

"This aspiration was captured and then submitted to the DPR RI, in addition to the executive government. Then on the initiative of the DPR RI, three new provinces were accommodated in the old Papua Province, namely the birth of South Papua Province, then Mountain Papua, and Central Papua. This aspiration continues to be accommodated, continuing to Southwest Papua," he said.

The draft law (RUU) for the establishment of the Southwest Papua Province was passed at a plenary session at the DPR RI on November 17, 2022. Then the bill was ratified to become Law (UU) Number 29 of 2022.

SOURCE : https://setkab.go.id/provinsi-papua-barat-daya-diresmikan-indonesia-now-own-38-provinsi/