The government’s efforts to ensure equal prosperity throughout Indonesia are the main focus. Papua, as an integral part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI), is no exception to these efforts. Accelerating development is a concrete manifestation of the government’s commitment to overcoming the development inequality that has occurred in Papua. Over the years, Papua has often been in the spotlight due to development gaps that are still clearly visible. By accelerating development in this region, the government is showing its seriousness in ensuring that every Indonesian citizen, without exception, has equal access to adequate facilities and opportunities.
The Central Papua Provincial Government is holding a Regional Development Planning Conference (Musrenbang) in the context of preparing the 2025 RKPD. The 2025 Musrenbang is the baseline for the preparation of medium-term and long-term planning documents which will later become guidelines for definitive regional head officials who are elected in the future. This activity was attended by the Central Papua Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), Assistant Regional Secretaries (Sekda), Papuan People’s Council (MRP), and Regents from 8 districts.
The implementation of Musrenbang targets three strategic programs, namely reducing poverty and extreme poverty rates, reducing inflation rates, and reducing open unemployment rates with the involvement of relevant stakeholders.
Specifically for the Special Autonomy (Otsus) allocation, there are several allocations, including a 1 percent block grant covering public services and regional priority welfare. Meanwhile, the specific 1.25 percent grant includes 30 percent education, 20 percent health and community empowerment as well as Additional Infrastructure Funds (DTI).
Director General of Regional Development of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ir. Restuardy Daud, M. Sc in his presentation hoped that planning must be able to answer the 5 goals of development and Special Autonomy. This is in accordance with the mandate of Law Number 2 of 2021 concerning Special Autonomy, namely protecting and upholding the basic rights, affirmations of indigenous Papuans. Daud said that to accelerate development, access to public services and basic infrastructure, the RKPD still adheres to the Papua Development Acceleration Master Plan (RIPPP).
Daud emphasized that regional heads and Bappeda in Central Papua must synchronize and coherence between national and regional development. Apart from that, there is also a correlation between documents, namely planning documents and budgeting documents as per Government Regulation (PP) Number 107 of 2021. So, there will no longer be any planning documents that are not in line when the budgeting documents are determined.
Meanwhile, Deputy for Human Development, Society and Culture of Bappenas, Drs. Amich Alhumami, M.A., M.Ed, PhD, said that the planning should pay attention to macro indicators in 2025, namely economic growth, poverty level, open unemployment rate, capital index, Gini ratio, and reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity / carbon emissions . With the pentahelix approach, it is hoped that Papua’s development can create a healthy, intelligent and productive Papua.
The enthusiasm for developing Papua also came from the Acting Governor of Southwest Papua, Muhammad Musa’ad, who emphasized to the six districts and cities in the province of Southwest Papua that development planning must accommodate the interests of the community at the district and village level. The government together with related stakeholders must improve planning to make it better. This planning must be able to accommodate the interests of the community at the district and village (kampung) level.
According to Musa’ad, planning is important to ensure that the development carried out by the government is truly in line with the needs and aspirations of the community so that prosperity can be achieved. Because, he said, the community is the owner of the main rights and benefits from development. Therefore, the community must also be actively involved in the planning and decision-making process.
Musa’ad believes that development that does not involve the community will easily fail. Because the community knows best the needs and conditions in their area. So, the government must be a facilitator and motivator for the community in the development process.
Acting Governor Musa’ad also invited all elements of society to work together and support development efforts in Southwest Papua. With the spirit of unity and unity, it is hoped that Southwest Papua can become an advanced and prosperous province. In addition, every planning carried out at the district, city and provincial levels must be in sync with central and provincial planning. This aims to ensure that development becomes one unit, because this country is a unitary state so our development plans must also be connected.
For example, said Musa’ad, when a province prepares a plan, the benchmark that must be used as a reference is to use the national medium development plan. Then, at the district and city level, it relies on the province when preparing development plans. Development planning in Papua is not partial but comprehensive, so it is important to see the continuity of planning from the center to the regions.
In this regard, the Southwest Papua Provincial Government has a Master Plan for the Acceleration of Papua Development (RIP3) which contains three central themes, namely a healthy, intelligent, productive Papua and political, legal and human rights aspects. So the party already has a clear reference so that every planning preparation must be based on the master plan.
Accelerating Papua’s development is a long-term investment in the nation’s future, because it will create more stable and prosperous conditions, especially in border areas. Coordination between agencies and participation of local communities is also needed to support development carried out by the government to create significant positive changes for Papua and Indonesia as a whole. Development in Papua is not just about building physical infrastructure, but also about building hope, trust and opportunity for all Indonesian people, without exception.