By : Alfred Jigibalom )*
Papua is a development priority area. The government is building various infrastructures in Papua to make the region more developed. With development, there will be an equal distribution of modernity between western and eastern Indonesia, so that all Indonesian citizens feel progress and prosperity together .
The government is very aggressively developing Papua, especially its infrastructure. The goal of massive development is to prosper the people and facilitate their mobility. There are many other benefits from infrastructure development and all for the sake of the people of Cendrawasih. The people are also happy because in the era of President Jokowi’s government, they are very well cared for.
President Jokowi emphasized that the development carried out by the government is currently Indonesia-centric and Papua is one of the development priorities. Indonesia’s development now is not Java-centric, but Indonesia-centric. Papua Land is a priority for development carried out by the government.
The President also explained a number of developments that have been carried out in Papua, starting from the construction of the Trans Papua Road and border roads, construction and revitalization of airports (airports), to the construction of border areas and cross-border posts (PLBN).
Developments in Papua include: 3,462 kilometers of the Trans Papua Road, 1,098 kilometers of border roads, and 1.3 kilometers of Youtefa Bridge. In addition, there is Domine Eduard Osok Airport in Sorong, which has repaired its terminal, the airport in Wamena, Jayawijaya.
Then there were also cross-border developments in three locations, in Skouw, Sota, and finally in Yetetkun, in Boven Digoel. Everything has been completed construction by the government.
Equitable development has been President Jokowi’s mission since he first became number 1 in Indonesia, in 2014. He wants Indonesia to progress and progress from Sabang to Merauke. Especially for Papua, the President has indeed paid very high attention, so that the area will be more modern. In fact, he is the only Indonesian president who visits Papua most often to see its developments.
One that was built to support Papua’s progress is infrastructure. The goal is that there also have good roads and infrastructure like in Java or other regions. During the New Order era there was indeed centralization so that remote areas such as Papua (formerly known as Irian Jaya) received little attention, and during the reform order there was regional autonomy accompanied by an equal distribution of development.
Since the beginning of President Jokowi’s administration in 2014, various infrastructures have been built in Papua. This infrastructure will be very useful because it facilitates people’s mobility. So far, people, especially those in remote areas, find it rather difficult to drive because the roads are not yet decent. But with the construction of new roads will make it easier for them.
Apart from facilitating people’s mobility, infrastructure also supports the economy of the Papuan people. If there are representative highways as well as bridges, then there are means for integration between regions. Especially in areas that are producers (such as processed sago and other agricultural products), and it will be easy to distribute them to other cities or districts. As a result, the community’s economy will increase.
Accelerating development in Papua and West Papua is a priority for the government because these two provinces have a lot of potential. Apart from natural resources, there is also natural exoticism which is an attractive tourism object. Everything can be used so that the two provinces are even more advanced.
Meanwhile, Vice President KH Ma’ruf Amin stated that the government continues to make efforts to accelerate development in the provinces of Papua and West Papua. In a sense, acceleration really needs to be done so that there is even more progress there and there is equity, so that justice is created from Sabang to Merauke.
This acceleration can be seen from the draft of various regulations related to this program, including the Presidential Regulation (Perpres) concerning the Steering Committee for the Acceleration of the Development of Special Autonomy in Papua (BP3OKP) and the Presidential Decree concerning the Master Plan for the Acceleration of the Development of Special Autonomy in Papua 2021-2041 (RIPPP).
Therefore, the Vice President emphasized that for the success of the program to accelerate and prioritize Papua’s development, apart from regulations, cooperation from various parties is also needed, including the West Papua People’s Council (MRPB), so that the legal basis that has been issued can be properly implemented in the field.
The Papuan People’s Assembly was indeed formed for the people and is a representation of the people on Cendrawasih Earth. If MRPB works together with the government, there will be collaboration, so development there will be even faster.
In a sense, MRPB must work together with the central government and regional governments, so that development in Papua and West Papua is successful. If there is a conflict then it will be chaotic because the people will certainly defend the MRPB. However, the honorable members of the MPRB realize that the various programs created by the government are very useful, so they want to work together for a better future for Papua.
Papua is a priority area for development and the people are grateful because President Jokowi pays so much attention to it. He realizes that the potential of natural resources and human resources in Cendrawasih Earth is very good, therefore development continues to be carried out in Papua, especially the infrastructure. With development, there will be an even distribution of progress in Eastern Indonesia.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bali