By: Rebeca Marian)*
The expansion of the Papua region received a positive response from the community. They believe that the division of this region will bring positive things, especially for the economic growth and progress of Papua.
Currently in Papua there are two provinces, namely Papua and West Papua. However, more will be added and the plan will be five provinces. This addition is based on customary territory in Papua and has been approved by the people. The reason is because the representatives of the Papuan people themselves requested that the province be expanded, when having an audience with President Jokowi in Jakarta.
Chairman of Commission II of the DPR RI Ahmad Dolly Kurnia Tanjung stated that the expansion of the Papua region would accelerate Papua’s growth and even out development. Papua is a strategic area and the expansion is the solution so that it can develop again. In a sense, so that development is more equitable, there must be a new province.
The plan is to add several provinces, namely South Papua, Tabi Saireri, and Central Highlands Papua. This provincial arrangement is based on customary territory, so its construction will be easier. The reason is because in one province the culture is the same, so it will be easier to advance it, with a cultural approach.
In Papua it is still thick with customary law, no wonder the division of territory in the new province is based on ethnicity and culture. This does not violate the law because it is also in accordance with the Special Autonomy Law, where the Papuan people are highly respected and may use customary law, as long as it does not conflict with national and international law.
The growth of the Papua region will be faster because when there is a new province there will automatically be a new administrative area and are entitled to APBD funds. The money given to Papua will be more because logically, the more provinces, the more APBD will be obtained. The money is useful for the people because it is used for infrastructure and other facilities.
If there are many facilities provided to the people then they are the ones who benefit. For example, in a new province, it is clear that a new wholesale market will be built, so that people can trade or shop there. In addition, there are also new schools up to the high school level, so that junior high school graduates do not have to go all the way to another city to continue their studies.
New infrastructure will also be built in the new province, such as representative highways, bridges, etc. This will make it easier for the community. They are happy because they don’t have to go through the path anymore, they can still ride a motorbike on a smooth highway.
Facilitated mobility will also affect economic growth in Papua, because the delivery of basic necessities and other goods will be faster, so the economy will be more dynamic. In addition, if there is a good road, it will reduce dependence on expensive air transportation (because avtur is also expensive). So that the price of goods can also be reduced, because the shipping costs are cheap.
The division of the province is indeed predicted to accelerate regional growth in Papua. All of this is for the people’s sake because they are also entitled to infrastructure and facilities like people in Java and other provinces. Equitable development must be done in order to implement the principles of justice and Pancasila. Papua is also part of Indonesia, therefore it must be built so that it continues to progress.
It has been proven that the division of territory in Papua will be beneficial for the people of Earth of Cendrawasih. If there are additional provinces, they will get more APBD funds, so that they can be made to develop Papua as well as possible. People who benefit because there are various developments in the region.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Jakarta
