By: Finna Prima
President Jokowi’s government continues to accelerate infrastructure development in Papua. Most recently, President Jokowi inaugurated Siboru Fakfak Airport, which was previously included in the National Strategic Project (PSN) built by the state-owned construction company PT PP (Persero) Tbk. Siboru Fakfak Airport has an area of 5,000 M2 which can accommodate up to 153,945 passengers per year. This airport is one of the National Strategic Projects (PSN) with a contract value of IDR 832.5 billion for land and air side work.
This airport has a runway length of 1,600 meters x 30 meters and will be the main means of air transportation accommodation in Fakfak Regency, replacing the previous airport facility, namely Torea Airport, where the runway length is only 1,200 meters x 30 meters and cannot be expanded further.
The presence of this airport will be a means to further improve the welfare of the Papuan people. Because many economic activities will be affected. Along with increasing development in the Papua region and the economic activities of the Papuan people, better transportation facilities are needed to improve connectivity and unlock tourism potential.
Previously, the Minister of Transportation (Menhub), Budi Karya Sumadi said that Siboru Airport and Douw Aturure Airport were the result of collaboration between the central and regional governments to complement each other. The regional government has provided its land to the central government. Then, the central government carried out construction of terminals, runways and other facilities.
The government of President Jokowi’s era continues to pursue various methods to create a more advanced Indonesia. The steps taken are through infrastructure development efforts, improving the licensing bureaucracy, improving the provision of health services, and so on. Papua Province is included in the main attention of the Joko Widodo government because the eastern region of Indonesia requires more attention compared to other regions in Indonesia. Acceleration in building infrastructure is a concrete step for the government to advance Papuan human resources. Because with these steps, Papuan human resources can manage abundant natural resources.
Papua has a lot of potential, both natural resources and human resources, and the government wants the region to be more developed with this potential. So President Jokowi sees this potential by expanding infrastructure development to make Papua even better.
The development of transportation sector infrastructure in the Eastern region of Indonesia is in line with the government’s program, namely developing Indonesia from the periphery through a new Indonesia-centric development approach in Papua. Achieving successful development in Bumi Cenderawasih is not an easy matter, because there are many obstacles and challenges that always confront its implementation in the field. However, the government under the administration of President Joko Widodo-Vice President KH Ma’ruf Amin never seems to give up on improving the welfare of the people in Papua. Until now, people in Papua should be grateful because they have been able to enjoy the transportation infrastructure built by President Joko Widodo’s government.
Deputy Chairman II of the DPRP Papua for the South Papua Election, Eduardus Kaize, said that the central government’s direct intervention in infrastructure development had a positive impact on reducing bureaucracy and logistics costs in Papua, which are currently very expensive. Because this sector has a domino effect and is able to mobilize natural potential in Papua.
Previously, Papua was an underdeveloped area, but with massive infrastructure development it has become a concrete step to reach remote areas in Papua, improving health services, education and other economic activities that can improve the welfare of indigenous Papuans. For this reason, his party invites all Indonesian people, youth, students, and especially indigenous Papuans to support the acceleration of infrastructure development in the land of Cenderawasih.
He hopes that development in Papua will continue to be encouraged, because it can stimulate progress which will also have an impact on improving the quality of everything. The development of Papuan infrastructure will of course provide new opportunities for local people to develop their potential.
It is known that the acceleration of infrastructure development in Papua is not only due to the inequality that has long plagued people in the region. Infrastructure development in Papua will also be equal to other islands in Indonesia. Equitable development must be seen as a right that Papuans who are part of the Republic of Indonesia must and must receive.
The massive infrastructure development in Papua shows President Jokowi’s serious commitment to Papua’s progress. Therefore, this legitimacy further emphasizes that Papua is an integral part of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) forever and cannot be separated for any reason. The residents of Bumi Cendrawasih also have high nationalism and do not want to be invited to liberate themselves. Papua’s status as a province in this country is legal and cannot be disputed by individuals.
)* The author is a student living in Surabaya
