By : Noldy Brachman )*
The New Autonomous Region Fund (DOB) was provided for 4 new provinces in Papua. The community supports collaborative fund management, because the money is really big. With collaboration, it will be easier for native Papuans (OAP) to manage DOB funds.
Currently there are 4 new autonomous regions in Papua, namely the Provinces of Southwest Papua, Highlands Papua, South Papua and Central Papua. The addition of new autonomous regions is the aspiration of the people on Cendrawasih Earth. The government granted their request by dividing the area, and the addition of the new autonomous regions is aimed at making the people of Papua more prosperous, because if there is a new autonomous region there will automatically be regional budget funds.
APBD funds in each new autonomous region are used for infrastructure development, health, and community empowerment programs. Infrastructure development is prioritized so that in new provinces the buildings and facilities will be more complete.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wemendagri) John Wempi Wetipo explained that the budget requirement for development in the four new autonomous regions in Papua is IDR 9.9 trillion. The central government has assisted the four new autonomous regions in Papua in the amount of IDR 6.6 trillion, with details of IDR 3.6 trillion distributed in 2023 and IDR 3 trillion budgeted for 2024. Meanwhile, the remaining IDR 3.3 trillion will be the responsibility of the four new autonomous regions through the APBD.
Wetipo stated that the absorption of the existing budget in Papua Province is no more than 10 percent, Papua Mountains, the realization of the budget is only around 15 percent of the total budget allocation that has been determined in the provincial APBD and Central Papua is only 4 percent. Meanwhile for Southwest Papua, it is not known exactly how much of the budget has been absorbed.
To manage DOB funds in 2023, collaboration with various parties is needed. Wahana Visi Indonesia (WVI) is committed to helping accelerate the improvement of people’s welfare, especially OAP. This contribution is implemented through the Collaborative United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Program.
The Head of the USAID Collaborative Program, Caroline Tupamahu, stated that local governments (Pemda) are also still faced with challenges in accountability for local governance that are not yet optimal. Including, the lack of citizen participation, especially OAP, in local government governance.
With help from outsiders, the new autonomous regions will be 100% on target and can improve the standard of living of the Papuan people. Then, governance in the 4 new autonomous regions will get better.
Meanwhile, the acting Governor of Southwest Papua Muhammad Musa’ad explained that the additional budget for the construction of office centers in the four new autonomous regions, namely Southwest Papua, South Papua, Central Papua and Highlands Papua worth IDR 11 trillion, has lightened the burden on the provincial APBD.
M. Musa’ad continued, his party had been greatly assisted because initially the DOB funds were only IDR 9.9 trillion, now they have increased to IDR 11 trillion. Even publicly, President Jokowi has stated that there is an increase in the budget for the plan to build the head office of the newly formed provincial government. Thus, the provincial APBD which was originally planned for the construction of government offices will be allocated for community service needs.
In this regard, the Southwest Papua Provincial Government continues to prepare strategic matters to support the construction of an office center in the region. One of the efforts being made is holding a meeting with the Sorong District Government to discuss matters relating to the handing over of land certificates that will be used for the development of the Southwest Papua Province government center at the Wombik Stadium location, precisely at kilometer 16, Sorong City.
Thus, when after handing over the asset certificate, he ensured that it would be immediately followed up with the development process. In addition to offices, the Southwest Papua Provincial Government plans to build a sports activity area.
However, as long as a representative sports facility has not been built, the Wombik Stadium building will be maintained and while revitalizing several parts of the stadium to become an icon.
Musa’ad stated that the target land used for the construction of an office center area of 100 hectares with details of 52 hectares had been handed over by the Sorong Regency Government, then the rest was in the process of working with the customary rights owner.
Changes to the Permendagri regarding the boundaries on the planned land for the construction of the Southwest Papua Provincial government office have been carried out and are currently in the process, we hope the process will be completed soon.
Planned in the planned visit of Vice President KH. Ma’ruf Amin will soon be laying the first stone for the construction of the Southwest Papua Province government headquarters.
Collaboration must be carried out so that development in Southwest Papua Province and other provinces can run successfully. The four new autonomous regions need massive development, and each acting governor is collaborating so that the entire Papua region will progress.
The Papuan people fully support the management of the DOB funds which is carried out in collaboration with many parties. The collaboration aims to ensure that the DOB funds are truly on target, for the welfare of the community. With this assistance, OAP will be helped and they can work together, so that programs carried out with DOB funds will be a great success.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bali