By : Alfred Jigibalom )*
Very high appreciation by all people in Indonesia should be given to the government’s efforts to continue to carry out a movement in a new direction for development in Papua. In fact, all the development carried out is also being carried out with full sense of responsibility.
The Provincial Government (Pemprov) of West Papua has made changes to the draft Regional Development Plan (RPD) for the period 2023 to 2026, these changes to the draft were made after the enactment of the Law (UU) on regional expansion to form a New Autonomous Region (DOB) of Southwest Papua Province .
Regarding this matter, the Acting Head of the West Papua Regional Development Planning Agency (Bappeda), Melkias Werinussa said that changes to the RPD draft for the 2023 to 2026 period were carried out for the West Papua Provincial Medium Term Development Plan (RPJMD) in 2023 to 2024.
In addition, it is true that the change in this plan is very important, because now the scope of the area that will be managed and managed is not only West Papua, but after the division of the region and the addition of a new province with the existence of the Southwest Province, now everything that has been The need to be prepared is different from when the initial preparation of the West Papua RPJMD was.
Not only about this, but now there is also a leadership vacuum, where the definitive position for the Governor of West Papua ended in 2022, so changes must be made to a new direction in development in the region.
This is not only due to regional expansion or a new autonomous region (DOB) due to the formation of the Southwest Papua Province, thus making the regional targets of the West Papua RPJMD narrower, but there has also been a significant focus of change.
This is because now the focus of the changes initiated in the new RPJMD is on how to solve the poverty level problem, namely a strong commitment from the Central Government to the local Regional Government (Pemda) to be able to focus on reducing the poverty rate in society.
Furthermore, another focus in preparing the development stone directions in Papua will also target efforts to continue to suppress the high stunting rate in society and to further maximize the potential for Regional Original Income (PAD) in a number of districts in West Papua Province.
So, it can be said that now, in preparing the new direction changes regarding development in Cenderawasih Earth, it is more inclined and focuses on strategic issues that are far more substantial.
For example, from efforts to reduce the poverty rate in society, a certain program will be held in 2026, so that the target in the future is to reduce poverty in West Papua by up to 18% (percent).
It is also known that at every stage of the Public Consultation the West Papua RPD Development Plan itself will absolutely not be able to run optimally and effectively if it is not accompanied by assistance from many parties. Therefore, the involvement of all parties is also one of the keys to the success of all the plans carried out. The involvement of other parties has been seen from the contributions from Regional Government Organizations (OPD), including academics from universities in West Papua.
Inviting many parties to actively participate in designing the new direction of development in Papua, it is very important, therefore public consultations are also being encouraged. The local regional government seems very eager to ask for input and also absorb all the aspirations of all these parties so that the preparation of this RPJMD can be much more perfect, which will later be submitted by the West Papua People’s Representative Council (DPR) to be ratified as a new work plan.
Meanwhile, the Regional Secretary (Sekda) of West Papua, Dance Sangkek admitted that he really hopes that strategic forums like those that are being carried out will indeed be able to be utilized to the fullest. The reason is that it is absolutely undeniable that the involvement of relevant stakeholders in carrying out development together is very much needed.
Because with the involvement of all parties who continue to actively provide constructive input, it will continue to give birth to various kinds of solutive ideas to be able to answer many problems, especially regarding strategic issues for development plans in Papua, which will also be carried out in the future. much more in line with development priorities, goals and objectives that have now been designed by the Pemprov.
Development in Papua continues to be carried out by the Government of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) by involving the active role of the local Regional Government (Pemda) in a much more responsible manner. In fact, the movement for a new direction to carry out development in Cenderawasih Earth is now increasingly focused on prioritizing strategic issues, so that all these efforts really deserve to be highly appreciated by all people in the country.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Bali
