By: Timothy Gobay )*
The community supports the acceleration of infrastructure development in Papua. Acceleration of infrastructure development is expected to support community mobility and increase the pace of the regional economy.
Equitable development is President Jokowi’s mission since he first became number 1 in Indonesia, in 2014. He wants Indonesia to progress and progress from Sabang to Merauke. Especially for Papua, the President has given very high attention to making the area more modern. In fact, he is the only Indonesian president who visits Papua the most to see its developments.
One that is built to support the progress of Papua is infrastructure. The goal is that there also have good roads and infrastructure like in Java or other areas. During the New Order era, there was indeed centralization so that remote areas such as Papua (formerly Irian Jaya) received little attention, and during the Reformation Order there was regional autonomy accompanied by equitable development.
Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono stated that the government would again promote development in Papua and West Papua in 2022. President Jokowi also has a strong commitment to develop Papua. Every time he came, he immediately saw the development of infrastructure, both roads, borders, and cross-border posts.
Minister Basuki Hadimuljono continued, the plan is that in 2022 a cross-border post (PLBN) will be built in the Batom District, Bintang Mountains Regency, Papua. This PLBN will complement other cross-border posts that have been built by the government, in Skouw, Merauke, and Boven Digul.
If the cross-border post is good, it will minimize the arrival of illegal foreigners and also eliminate crimes that can occur there. The reason is because the border has representative and closely guarded control posts so that there will be no smuggling and criminal acts. The cross-border post is also well laid out so that it becomes one of the tourist destinations for local tourists.
In addition to the cross-border post, the construction of the trans-Papua road will continue, because this road is not yet 100% complete. With the completion of this road, it is hoped that people in the interior will no longer be isolated, so that it can facilitate their mobility. If in the past they had to walk, now they can use motorbikes or cars and cross the Trans Papua road. So it can be faster and more efficient.
In addition, if the Trans Papua road is 100% completed, it can reduce the price of goods in Papua. There will be a positive domino effect that occurs. When the road is smooth, trucks and pickup trucks can pass, so delivery to many areas in Papua no longer relies on airplanes. Shipping costs will decrease because the price of gasoline is lower than avtur, and the price of goods will also decrease.
The government is pushing for infrastructure development in Papua because it has many positive effects for the people of the Earth of Cendrawasih. They can move faster and their business and business run more smoothly. In addition, other infrastructure such as the Youtefa Bridge is also beneficial for the tourism sector because it becomes a new tourism object.
The acceleration of infrastructure development in Papua must be supported because the people on Earth of Cendrawasih are also part of Indonesia. With development, we are optimistic that life there will be better and the people will prosper. The government is serious about building infrastructure so that there is an even distribution of development in Indonesia.
)* The author is a Papuan student living in Gorontalo
