The division of Central Papua Province was strongly supported by the DPR

 

Commission II of the DPR RI supports the process of provincial expansion in Papua as an effort to spread public service centers and economic activities in the region.

Chairperson of Commission II Ahmad Doli Kurnia said that the expansion of the province was a concrete solution to bring about an increase in the welfare of the Papuan people. This was conveyed at the DPR Commission II General Hearing Meeting (RDPU) with the Proposed Team for the Establishment of the Central Papua Province at the Parliament Complex, Senayan, Central Jakarta on Wednesday (20/11).

"To accelerate the process of increasing welfare and the economy, there must be a spread of centers for public services and economic activities. We can accelerate the process of spreading these centers, in a political context called expansion," said Doli.

He said there was no way of solving problems in Papua other than taking an approach to increasing welfare and strengthening the economy. Doli said that ideally Papua should consist of at least seven provinces because it has seven major tribes.

According to the politician from the Golkar Party, to accelerate the process of improving welfare and the economy, it is necessary to deploy public service centers and economic activities.

"We do not want that there are differences between east and center, central and west, and so on. This is our commitment to the leadership and members of Commission II of the DPR RI," he said.

Doli said that his party is thinking about steps to accelerate the process of expansion of Papua Province, through giving discretion on the moratorium on regional expansion.

He also admitted that he had conveyed to the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian that in resolving problems in Papua, a study on the improvement of Law Number 35 of 2008 concerning Papua's Special Autonomy must be reviewed.

"That is why in an internal meeting and we have also conveyed it to the National Legislation Program (Prolegnas), one of the priorities is the revision of the Papua Special Autonomy Law." he said.

Departing from that, Doli hopes that people in Papua can create a conducive atmosphere in the future. He emphasized that Commission II of the DPR has a strong commitment to safeguarding the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and improving welfare in Papua.

At the same place, Regent Nabire Isaias Douw explained that Commission II of the DPR in principle approved the division of Papua province into Central Papua.

He said the struggle for the expansion of Central Papua Province was something that had been done for a long time.

"Central Papua has been struggling for a long time. First, in West Irian Jaya, five districts, now seven regencies. So from a long struggle today, the DPR RI Commission II has just answered. The point has been agreed to the expansion of Central Papua," said Isaias.

Meanwhile, Puncak Regent Willem Wandik said the struggle to realize the expansion of Central Papua had been carried out for a long time, so the proposal was not new.

According to him, his party has invited academics such as from Gajah Mada University (UGM) to study the process of expanding the province of Central Papua.

"Is it feasible or not so that it is in accordance with the wishes of the President and the Minister of Home Affairs, so that there is one region that wants to expand and there is a moratorium," he said.

source: https://www.cnnindonesia.com/nasional/20191120124018-32-449948/dpr-dukung-pemekaran-provinsi-papua-tengah