The granting of the Papua Special Region is a manifestation of the government’s attention to generating development innovation
Providing regional expansion through the creation of the New Autonomous Region (DOB) for Papua within the framework of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) is a concrete manifestation of the government’s attention to creating development innovations in the Land of Cenderawasih in accordance with what the indigenous Papuans (OAP) want and desire.
It is clear that if a region experiences improvement and progress but continues to provide very broad opportunities for its native people to participate and express opinions, this will make the policies in force truly in line with what the people need.
If this happens, it is not impossible that many forms of development innovation will emerge, as well as how the hidden potential of the area and its people will be explored optimally. Therefore, as a form of concern, the Government implemented the Papua Special Region.
Regarding this matter, the President’s Special Staff Team (SKP) Billy Mambrasar stated that so far there has been very strong consistency from the government in the leadership era of Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) in building Bumi Cenderawasih.
The reason is that Papua is an integral and inseparable part of the Republic of Indonesia, which is included in the archipelagic region and is currently continuing to develop. Moreover, Indonesia still has areas where access to basic facilities and services is unequal.
Some basic facilities and services that are still unequal are transportation, health, education and economic infrastructure. These areas within the Unitary Republic of Indonesia are called outermost, frontier and underdeveloped areas (3T).
However, since the first Special Staff (Stafsus) of the President of the Republic of Indonesia for Innovation, Education and Outermost Regions, this has in particular continued to be a motor for the development of human resources (HR) in Papua, especially for the younger generation, the majority of whom meet the demographics towards a Golden Indonesia in 2045.
The government continues to carry out visits and meetings with a number of related parties or stakeholders, including non-profit organizations with the aim of discussing a number of problems in Paua as a region that has many 3T areas.
Some of the issues that were discussed were, among others, efforts to empower the community and human resources (HR), then related to licensing issues in business development as well as the use of natural resources (SDA).
Efforts are also continuing to be realized, namely how to ensure that the central government’s attention to Bumi Cenderawasih does not stop just because there has been a change in power.
Overseeing various development agendas and accelerating the increase in welfare in Papua must continue, all of which ensures the absorption of all the interests or aspirations of the local community which form the basis.
There are several main problems that still haunt the people of South Papua, namely regarding human resource development, so that the government is intensifying the Millennial Farmer program and making optimal use of natural resources.
Because it is one of the new regions resulting from the expansion through the New Autonomous Region (DOB) of Papua, South Papua still requires a lot of attention. Therefore, the government is intensifying various methods, mainly continuing to accommodate local wealth or potential so that it can increase according to the needs of the community itself.
Implementation of the Millennial Farmer Program itself can also help supply national food needs, making it a big step in providing employment opportunities to all local communities. Not only that, but it is the first way to realize food independence in the Papua region.
On another occasion, Expert from the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Theo Litaay stated that the government continues to pay very serious attention to the 3T area, including the Papua Special Region, even though the challenges there are very diverse.
Therefore, the government continues to strive to improve the development of local human resources (HR), then also improve public services in the health, education and infrastructure sectors.
It is very important that there is good collaboration from all parties across sectors to realize it together and make the various 3T regions strong on an independent footing.
President Jokowi continues to place the development of highly superior human resources as his main priority, especially when discussing the Papua Special Region. Therefore, even since the beginning of independence, Bumi Cenderawasih has had the privilege of having Special Autonomy (Otsus), which is now increasing thanks to regional expansion and the ratification of the New Autonomous Region.
Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) Tito Karnavian stated that with the granting of the Papua Special Region by the government, equitable distribution of development would be more optimal, especially because Bumi Cenderawasih actually has an area up to 3 or 4 times larger than the island of Java with a population of around 5 million, of course now they will experience tremendous improvement.
Moreover, the Government continues to give full and special attention to various regions in Papua as one of the integral regions that cannot be separated from the Republic of Indonesia, where by optimizing the filling of the Papua Special Region, it is not impossible that many development innovations will be born there.
