By: Anindira Putri Maheswani )*
The New Autonomous Region (DOB) for Papua was of course not formed without reason, the formation of the new autonomous region aims to provide optimal services to the community. The hope is that the community can be closer to the government.
The Vice President (Wapres) of the Republic of Indonesia, Ma’ruf Amin, said that the DOB was being expanded to bring services closer to the welfare of the people in Papua. This is certainly proof that the government is paying serious attention to the presence of new autonomous regions in Papua in the hope of bringing services closer to the community.
According to Ma’ruf Amin, his party gives high appreciation to PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) which has contributed to human resource development in Papua with the existence of the Nemangkawi Mining Institute (IPN). His party views that the presence of IPN as a form of support for investment in reliable and professional workers, especially for indigenous Papuans.
Ma’ruf Amin also believes that the qualifications of indigenous Papuan workers have a variety of reliable skills and knowledge to support company performance. He also mentioned that the four new autonomous regions in Papua and West Papua were classified as extraordinary because the government was actually still implementing a moratorium on regional expansion.
The Vice President also asked each new autonomous region to make an action plan to be submitted to the Development Acceleration Agency whose secretariat has been inaugurated and is in Papua Province and will set up an office in West Papua Province. According to Ma’ruf, the expansion of the Papua region is also intended to accelerate the development of community welfare, especially in providing services in the Land of Papua.
He also firmly said that the government is fully committed to the policy of accelerating welfare development in the Land of Papua through various efforts, one of which is by making Indigenous Papuans (OAP) regional leaders.
On a different occasion, General Chair of the Papuan Indigenous Youth DPN Jan Christian Arebo said that the approval of the three new autonomous regions was a very extraordinary policy given by the government to build the welfare of the Papuan people. It is believed that Papua’s new autonomous region will be able to absorb OAP human resources more optimally.
Implementing the Papua Special Region is the most appropriate way to optimize services to the indigenous Papuan community, as well as realizing the government’s efforts to equalize development.
Previously, the Chief of the MeePago Tribe, Hans Mote, stated that he strongly agreed and would provide full support to the government for the expansion of a new autonomous region in the land of Papua. With the expansion of the new autonomous region, it is hoped that Papua will become more advanced and its development will be more evenly distributed in every line so that its people can also progress.
Progress after the development of new autonomous regions is because people will be closer to public service centers, and of course this will be followed by the construction of other facilities such as health centers, terminals and various facilities that can be used by the community. The government’s main task is to serve the community, so that the development of new autonomous regions is an effort to speed up the service process in Papua.
The expansion of provinces in Papua is contained in article 93 of Government Regulation No. 106 of 2021 concerning the Authority and Institutions for Implementing the Special Autonomy Policy for Papua Province. The regulation states that expansion is to accelerate equitable development, improve public services, community welfare, and the dignity of indigenous Papuans (OAP).
Development in Papua must continue to be encouraged, because development in Papua is able to stimulate progress which also has an impact on improving the quality of everything. The acceleration of new autonomous development will of course provide new opportunities for local people to develop their potential. The development of new autonomous regions also aims to divide regional government tasks into increasingly specific areas and focus on areas far from the center of government.
It is hoped that this DOB development effort will be able to reduce the distance people travel so that the Papuan people can save money, time and energy when they want to access public facilities. Moreover, every new province that is formed, all of them have their own offices and public service centers, so that it will make things easier for the community.
The Acting Governor of West Papua, Paulus Waterpauw, has sent the West Papuan People’s Declaration document containing support for the Special Autonomy policy and the formation of new autonomous regions in Papua to President Joko Widodo in Jakarta. Waterpau said that the declaration of support was an agreement between the regents, mayors, Forkopimda, religious leaders, traditional leaders, youth leaders, women’s leaders and the people of West Papua.
The formation of new autonomous regions is of course a concrete effort by the government to improve services to the community. So that people who want to access public facilities can reduce transportation costs.
)* The author is a contributor to the Persada Institute
