The expansion of Papua Province is an effort to accelerate the development and welfare of the Papuan people. Through regional expansion or the New Autonomous Region (DOB), Papua will catch up with the development of other regions. The addition of a new new autonomous region in Papua will also open up access to development which will have a welfare impact on the Papuan people. Because, so far only the two provinces of Papua and West Papua have been the focus of development.
DOB will inspire new enthusiasm and hope in the community as well as a golden opportunity for generations in Papua to achieve better prosperity. Apart from that, the existence of a new province in Papua is expected to encourage faster and more massive access to services for the community.
Development in Papua must continue to be encouraged, because it can 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.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs (Wamendagri), John Wempi Wetipo, said that the formation of DOB meant that the number of MRP members was greater than before the expansion, which was only 93 members. Meanwhile, after it was expanded, that number increased to 225 people. This increase in numbers also occurred among members of the Provincial DPR, DPR RI and DPD RI. With more Papuans involved in government, the aspirations that can be absorbed will be maximized and the community will be more protected.
The government also wants at least 80 percent of ASN in Papua to be native Papuans, so that improvements in community welfare can truly be realized. Equitable development must be carried out because it is not only Jayapura, Merauke or Wamena that are getting a touch of modernization. But it also reached Yahukimo and other areas in Papua. Development must be carried out to remote areas so that people feel the benefits.
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.
Progress after the construction 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 Regent of Mimika, Eltinus Omaleng, said that if the DOB is complete and running well as a whole, the welfare of the people in Bumi Cenderawasih can also be guaranteed to improve well. Everything requires a process, with patience they will reap commensurate results. Meanwhile, regarding the ratification of the Southwest Papua Special Region, it was ratified by the DPR, so that currently the total number of provinces in Indonesia has become 38 provinces.
He, representing the indigenous Papuan community (OAP) from Southwest Papua, expressed his deep gratitude from the bottom of his heart. He even expressed his gratitude to the leaders of the DPR RI including the Government of the Republic of Indonesia, especially the President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
It is known that the implementation of the Papua Special Region is the result of political compromise efforts made between the OAP community and the central government in resolving the multidimensional conflict which continues to occur, even for a long time, in Bumi Cenderawasih.
It cannot be denied that now the public services provided by the Central Government can run very well and are distributed to indigenous Papuan communities to all corners of Bumi Cenderawasih because they are helped by the existence of the new autonomous region. With the improvement in public services, the people in Papua are very grateful
Looking at it from various angles, the expansion of the four new autonomous regions has had a very positive impact both on society and on the Indonesian nation. Creating ease for the public in accessing and using public service facilities is certainly one of the positive values in the new autonomous region expansion policy. As a society, Indonesia is of course proud and supports and makes the government’s programs a success in the context of national development. In this way, national development can be carried out evenly and can improve the welfare of society throughout Indonesia
