Minister of Home Affairs, Tito Karnavian, has said that he hopes the ratification of the three bills for carving out new Papua provinces into law will support regional development.
“We hope that all parties can accept this for the progress of Papua’s development,” the minister said in Jakarta on Thursday.
During a plenary meeting earlier in the day, the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) passed the Bill on the Province of South Papua, the Bill on the Province of Central Papua, and the Bill on the Province of Papua Mountains into law.
Karnavian expressed his gratitude for the passing of the three bills. He emphasized that the drafting of the bills had involved a long process and took people’s aspirations into account.
Development for the welfare of the community, especially the Indigenous Papuan People (OAP), was the spirit behind the drafting of the bills, the minister said.
“We hope that with this expansion, the bureaucracy (red tape) will be shorter, public services will be better; the important thing is, faster development in the region,” Karnavian added.
With the ratification of the three bills, it is hoped that all parties will accept and support efforts to accelerate Papua’s development for the welfare of the Papuan people, he said.
Earlier, Minister Karnavian, representing President Joko Widodo, had conveyed the government’s final opinion on the three bills on the establishment of a New Autonomous Region (DOB) in Papua.
“The proposal for the expansion of Papua comes from the aspirations of the Papuan people, both regional heads, traditional leaders, religious leaders, and women’s leaders,” Karnavian informed.
In addition, the aspirations shared by the youth leaders of South Papua (Anim Ha), Papua Mountains (Lapago), and Central Papua (Mee Pago) were also taken into account. Their aspirations were directly accepted by the president, vice president, DPR RI, and other related parties.
Source: Antara News