The addition of 4 new autonomous regions (DOBs) has brought many benefits to the people of Papua. One way is to reduce unemployment because there are additional jobs. The Papuan people are very grateful because thanks to the presence of the new autonomous region, their standard of living has increased and their economy is strong, because there are many jobs available.
The Papuan people’s request was fulfilled when the government inaugurated 4 new autonomous regions. Papua Island which covers more than 400,000 km2 is too big if it only has 2 provinces (Papua and West Papua). Therefore, it is necessary to expand the area so that the people will be more prosperous, because the regulation is easier.
The existence of 4 new autonomous regions, namely the Provinces of Southwest Papua, Highlands Papua, South Papua and Central Papua, provides many benefits. One way is to increase employment opportunities. Jayapura City Manpower Office Head Djoni Naa stated that the unemployment rate in Papua had decreased from more than 10,000 to more than 5,000 due to the division of four Papua provinces.
Djoni Naa added, thanks to the 4 new autonomous regions, it added jobs, the technical Regional Apparatus Organizations (OPD) also provided a lot of guidance to creative economy actors. DOB also has an effect on the decline in the number of job seekers. In 2022 the number of job seekers in Jayapura City will reach 11 thousand people, but as of June 2023 there are 5,530 people.
The fewer people looking for work in Jayapura means that Papua is currently able to provide a lot of jobs. When there are 4 new provinces, there are automatically many job vacancies for prospective civil servants (PNS). People can register for CPNS and then become servants of the state, and get a more than adequate salary.
Then, when there are 4 new autonomous regions, these provinces are growing. What was built by the regional government was not only bridges and roads. But also wholesale markets, supermarkets, etc. The provincial government center will be more crowded and have a positive impact on the economy of the Papuan people.
The crowds in these provinces are taken advantage of by the people of Papua. They sell food, drinks, and other goods, and they sell well because there are already customers. In this way, the business is bustling and automatically adds jobs. The reason is because business people increasingly need employees to help run their business, and reduce unemployment in Papua.
This job field continues to be very wide open for all people in the country, especially for the indigenous people of Papua (OAP) themselves. Development in the 4 new autonomous regions is for indigenous Papuans so if there is a new province it must have a positive impact on them. This includes making it easier for them to find work.
Then, Jayapura will be made a city of trade and services so that all activities carried out by the Technical Regional Apparatus Organization will be oriented to the trade sector. It is hoped that all OPDs will jointly conduct training but the aim is to reduce unemployment and not just pursue the program but how to take responsibility for fostering and guiding them until they are successful.
With the execution of the program, in the future all activities carried out by the technical Regional Apparatus Organizations will continue to focus their orientation on the trade sector.
When OPD parties have increasingly focused their orientation on the trade sector, it is also hoped that in the future all parties, especially from the Regional Apparatus Organizations, can jointly contribute to the training. The main goal is to reduce unemployment.
Meanwhile, Junimart Girsang, Chair of Working Committee 3 on the Regional Expansion Bill, stated that the addition of new autonomous regions is a mandate from Law number 2 of 2021 concerning the Special Autonomy for Papua. Territorial expansion may be carried out by taking into account a number of things.
In a sense, the mission of special autonomy (otsus) is for the welfare of the Papuan people so that the expansion of the region also functions for the benefit of the people in Cendrawasih Land. Appreciation is given to the government, especially President Jokowi, because he really wants the people of Papua to prosper thanks to the addition of new autonomous regions.
If there are additional new provinces, there will be additional APBD funds for the new new autonomous regions. Some of these funds can be turned into electricity procurement projects, so that the entire Papua region can enjoy them. The government wants the principle of justice so that all Papuans are obliged to enjoy facilities in the form of adequate electricity.
The availability of electricity will trigger an increase in the people’s economy because they will no longer depend on generators. If there is a supply of electricity, the people will be enthusiastic to produce processed agricultural products (eg sago) which are processed using electronic devices. That way, economic activity will be more lively and the financial wheel spins quickly.
When the wheels of the economy turn, the people will be more prosperous. Electricity also supports online selling activities because people can have smartphones and have an operator signal. They can get more income by mastering digital marketing. The effect of the addition of the new autonomous regions is very powerful which can trigger an increase in the people’s economy.
The existence of 4 new autonomous regions has a positive impact on the people of Papua because they can add jobs. They can apply for jobs as civil servant candidates in the 4 new provinces. Then, they can also do business because the provincial capital is growing, and add jobs because there are lots of recruitment of new employees.
