By: Maria Suhiap)*
The establishment of a New Autonomous Region (DOB) or division of the Papua Province is a golden opportunity to create jobs for the next generation of young people. With the existence of the new autonomous region, young people in Papua can play a role in entering the ranks of parliament and even have the opportunity to get an Otsus quota.
Puncak Regent Wilem Wandik believes that the formation of a new autonomous region or the expansion of the Papua Province is a golden opportunity to create jobs for the next generation of young people.
He said the new autonomous regions were given by the state in the framework of regional development, namely South Papua Province, Central Papua Province, Mountain Papua Province Southwest Papua Province and West Papua Province.
Moreover, 2024 will be a political year in which it is hoped that all youth will be willing to be involved, even in government and physical work in this situation must be put to good use, because this is a golden opportunity for the younger generation in Papua.
Wilem Wandik himself is a member of the Team for the Expansion of the Papua Province. He saw that at that time, the division of the Papua Province did not yet exist. However, after the pemekaran team from Papua met President Joko Widodo and conveyed their studies and aspirations regarding the division of Papua which at that time coincided with the extension of Otsus, that was where the opportunity for the division of Papua occurred.
He said, the meaning of extending the Special Autonomy with 4 new autonomous regions along with the distribution of funds to each province was to accelerate the opening of jobs. The state sees the formation of a new autonomous region as a good way for Papuans.
If there are 4 provinces, the MRP will be formed again, the DPR will also be added again. Moreover, later the governors who previously only had 2 will be added to become 4 governors. The regional secretaries, who previously only had two, have now become 6, the chairman of the Papua Provincial DPRD, who previously only had 2, now has 6. Of course, such developments are extraordinary for Papua.
As for the purpose of the division of the province in Papua, it is contained in article 93 of Government Regulation Number 106 of 2021 concerning the Authority and Institutions for the Implementation of the Special Autonomy Policy for the Province of Papua.
It should be noted, the regulation states that division is to accelerate equitable development, improve public services, community welfare, and the dignity of the indigenous Papuans (OAP).
On a different occasion, Chairperson of the Papuan Young Entrepreneurs Association (GARAP), Ruth Penina Somisu said, the division of the province in Papua had created many opportunities, especially for businesses for young people. This business opportunity can be seen if later there are new cities and new provinces. Therefore, Ruth invited all Papuan youths to be ready to welcome economic transformation.
Ruth said that there were no influential Papuan figures in the business sector. He also asked that young Papuans should try to seize this opportunity.
On the other hand, market traders will also benefit from the addition of new autonomous regions. This is because when there is a new provincial government, the budget will also be new. Part of the budget is in the form of assistance to traders for business capital (cash), machines for work (grating machines and other machines), tables for selling and so on.
With assistance from the provincial government, traders will be more enthusiastic about selling. They will rack their brains so that their wares are sold and the proceeds are to help their husbands earn a living. As a result, the lives of Papuans will be better because the income of each family increases.
The establishment of the Papua New Guinea is the government’s way of providing convenience to the lives of Papuans. If there is a new province, there will be various new facilities, such as roads and wholesale markets. There will be a new school building and Papuan children will be able to complete their studies up to high school and above. By having diplomas and skills, of course young people in Papua can apply for jobs or become entrepreneurs and realize their family’s wishes to become more prosperous.
Moreover, in building a new autonomous region, of course, competent human resources are needed to fill the government. It is undeniable that competent human resources are the key to facing various challenges that may arise for new autonomous regions to overcome them and turn new regions into independent regions.
If the area has abundant natural resource wealth, of course the right people are needed who are able to manage these natural resources and generate high regional income so that they can support regional development needs. And vice versa, if natural resources are not managed by competent and innovative human resources, it will actually be wasted.
Young people in Papua certainly need training that can support their competence so that they can work both functionally and structurally in the future.
The Papua New Guinea is certainly a golden opportunity for the young generation in Papua, so they must have the ability to be able to work in the various positions needed.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bali
