By: Yuliana Kalouw
The government, under the leadership of President Joko Widodo (Jokowi), has made accelerating development in Papua one of its top priorities over the past decade. This commitment is not just a promise, but has been realized through various programs specifically designed to improve the welfare of the people in the region.
However, despite the progress, there are still many challenges to be faced so that the expected development goals can be fully achieved. In this case, the Papuan people are not only waiting, but also continue to demand the government to accelerate more concrete and sustainable steps.
Sulaeman L. Hamzah, a member of Commission IV of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI), firmly stated that the government’s attention to Papua is very real. According to him, during President Jokowi’s administration, Papua has received significant development allocations, designed to improve the standard of living of the local community.
This is implemented through Presidential Instruction (Inpres) Number 9 of 2020 concerning the Acceleration of Welfare Development in the Provinces of Papua and West Papua. This Inpres is one of the major breakthroughs that is expected to be able to answer the demands of the Papuan people who have so far felt left behind in various aspects of development.
This step not only involves the central government, but also demands synergy between ministries and institutions to work together in an integrated and focused framework. However, Hamzah admitted that the implementation of the Presidential Instruction still needs to be strengthened. So far, the impact has not been felt optimally by the Papuan people.
Therefore, there is great hope that the next administration, under the leadership of the new president, will continue and even enhance this program to ensure more equitable and sustainable development acceleration.
In an effort to accelerate development in Papua, the government has identified a number of priorities, one of which is the development of government facilities and infrastructure in the four New Autonomous Regions (DOB) of Papua. The formation of these DOBs is part of a decentralization strategy that aims to bring public services closer to the community in areas that have previously been difficult to reach.
In this case, the Ministry of Home Affairs through the Directorate General of Regional Development, in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) and the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), has taken various steps to ensure that this development plan runs according to the targets that have been set.
Intensive coordination between various related parties is carried out to identify and overcome obstacles that may arise in the field. One of the important issues faced is the legalization of documents that are the basis for implementing development in the four new provinces. The speed in completing these legal documents is very crucial because it will be a reference in the development of the Central Government Area (KPP) in each DOB province.
Zamzani B. Tjenreng, Acting Secretary of the Directorate General of Regional Development of the Ministry of Home Affairs, emphasized the importance of accelerating the legalization of the Readiness Criteria document. Without this document, development can be hampered, so that the targets that have been set may not be achieved.
In addition, the government also plans to mobilize support from the Regional Budget (APBD) to complement financing from the State Budget (APBN) for the 2024-2025 period. This step is important to ensure that development does not only rely on funds from the center, but also actively involves local governments.
One concrete form of accelerated development in Papua is the plan to build flats and special houses in four DOBs. Edward Abdurrahman, Director of Housing System and Strategy at the Directorate General of Housing, Ministry of PUPR, said that this project will start in September 2024.
This development is not just about providing housing, but also as part of the government’s efforts to improve the quality of life of the Papuan people as a whole. With the existence of decent housing, it is hoped that the Papuan people can feel the direct benefits of the development carried out by the government.
In addition, Pranoto, Head of the PUPR Region III Infrastructure Development Center, added that infrastructure development projects to support new government centers in Papua have been included in the draft of the PUPR Ministry’s Major Project Strategic Plan (Renstra) for the 2025-2029 period.
This shows that the government is not only focused on short-term development, but has also planned long-term steps that are expected to bring significant changes to Papua.
Accelerating development in Papua is an inevitability that must continue to be pushed by the government, both central and regional. The Papuan people have long awaited the realization of the various development promises they have heard so far.
Therefore, the government is expected not to just stop at the planning stage, but also to ensure that every program launched actually runs and has a positive impact on society.
On the other hand, Papuan people are also expected to be more actively involved in this development process. Local community participation is very important to ensure that the development carried out is in accordance with their needs and aspirations.
Only with cooperation between the government and the community, the acceleration of development in Papua can run smoothly and achieve the expected results. Let us support together the efforts to accelerate this development for a brighter and more prosperous future for Papua.
*) Student of Economics and Business, University of Papua (Unipa)