President Jokowi’s government continues to pursue equitable development for Eastern Indonesia, especially in Papua. A number of infrastructures ranging from transportation, government offices, public roads, agriculture and other public facilities continue to be built so that the Papuan people experience the prosperity and natural potential of other provinces.
Infrastructure development in Papua is in accordance with mapping which can be carried out using various methods, including field surveys including geographic coordinates, regional boundaries, topography and other information relevant to the area or concept being mapped. So, development will be effective and in accordance with what society needs.
The aim of building various infrastructure in Papua is so that later the region can attract investment to enter and build businesses there. If massive investment enters Papua, it will expand job opportunities, advance the agricultural sector and MSMEs.
Executive Vice President (EVP) Corporate Secretary of Hutama Karya, Adjib Al Hakim, said that his party was named the winner of the auction for the construction of the Trans Papua Road for the Jayapura-Wamena section, Mamberamo-Elelim segment in the Papua Mountain Province worth IDR 3.3 trillion by the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR ). This Trans Papua road will later connect various agricultural centers, plantations, fisheries and other sources of wealth in Papua.
The community will be helped by the construction of this road. Because it will make it easier for the mobility of goods, people and natural resources. Trans Papua will increase economic growth, improve accessibility and connectivity and expand the road network which will have the potential to improve the welfare of the people in Papua.
The Trans Papua project is the main logistics transportation route from Jayapura to Wamena with a length of 50.14 km. The scope of work to be carried out includes handling roads, bridges, repairing slopes and cliffs as well as building weighing facilities.
Apart from Trans Papua, Hutama Karya is currently working on several projects under the PPP scheme, including the commercial development of existing port facilities at the Gorontalo Anggrek Port owned by the Ministry of Transportation as well as the Proving Ground development project for the Bekasi Roadworthiness and Motor Vehicle Certification Testing Center (BPLJSKB), in West Java with PT Indonesia International Automotive Proving Ground (IIAPG).
Meanwhile, the Acting Governor of Southwest Papua, Muhammad Musa’ad, said that equitable and inclusive development in Papua could help reduce social and political tensions and strengthen the stability of the region. This can reduce the risk of conflict and strengthen peace and reconciliation in Papua.
The incessant development of both infrastructure and human resources in Papua is a positive step in improving community welfare. Through infrastructure development, economic empowerment, education and health, the Government hopes to create an independent and high-quality Papuan people. To achieve this goal, full support is needed between the government and the community so that development in Papua can run well and provide optimal benefits for the Earth of Cenderawasih.
It is known that economic growth in Papua is still quite far behind other regions in Indonesia. This is because development in Papua has only been carried out on a massive scale in the era of President Jokowi. In the era of President Jokowi, the poverty rate in Papua Province also decreased, in March 2023, to 26.06%, dominated by people living in rural areas. This was also accompanied by a decrease in the unemployment rate and Gini ratio, when compared with the period in 2022.
This data proves that the government’s steps in equitable development, especially in Papua, are very effective in improving the prosperity of the people of Cenderawasih. This policy needs to be continued so that development can be sustainable and bring Papua on par with other regions.
With this commitment, it is hoped that it can become a benchmark that changes the paradigm of development and services that are focused on community needs, bringing the government closer to the people, and ensuring that development is carried out more effectively and directed.
Assistant II of the Mimika Papua Regional Secretariat, Willem Naa, said that if infrastructure development is evenly distributed, investment will easily enter Papua and have an impact on opening up quite a lot of new jobs. Not only that, natural commodities in Papua can also be easily cultivated.
Even though there are still various challenges, the efforts made in Papua’s development show a commitment to creating better conditions for all people in this province. By continuing to move the wheels of development, it is hoped that Papua can transform into a region that is safe, prosperous and equal to other regions.
To achieve development, Papua requires full support from the entire community and being able to be directly involved in various development activities as a form of moral responsibility to work for the Republic of Indonesia. Efforts to improve the quality of life of people in Papua require long-term commitment, active community participation, and a sustainable development approach. This commitment will provide real solutions and contributions in answering the challenges of advancing Papua, to welcome the Golden Indonesia 2045.