In an effort to accelerate development in the Land of Papua, President Joko Widodo has stipulated a Presidential Regulation (Perpres) on the Papua Development Acceleration Master Plan (RIPPP) Year 2022-2041 on April 17, 2023, this RIPPP carries three major development missions in Papua namely Healthy Papua, Smart Papua, and Productive Papua and the goal is to improve the welfare of the Papuan people.
The Regional Government must optimize the role of all elements of society in overseeing the development of Papua which is currently the focus of the Government, many young Papuans have high capabilities and they need to be empowered and actively involved in the development process. The Papuan people have a central role in ensuring that infrastructure development in Papua must be in line with the progress and welfare of the people. Do not let indigenous Papuans be excluded and unable to take part in advancing welfare.
In facing big challenges such as underdevelopment, empowering the younger generation, improving the quality of education, and efforts to build a strong culture and awareness in Papuan society, are the main foundations that will lead Papua to a brighter future.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs John Wempi Wetipo explained that the effort to catch up with Papua with other regions is by equalizing development, accelerating Papua’s development by expanding the region or New Autonomous Region. The division of the region into 6 provinces will make it easier for the government to reach remote and isolated areas, so that various services can be easily accessed by the community.
He emphasized that the New Autonomous Region in Papua must elevate the dignity of indigenous Papuans, not become a place for corruption. According to him, the Ministry of Home Affairs will also continue to ensure that government administration in the 4 New Autonomous Region runs well. This step includes ensuring budget support in the success of the 2024 simultaneous elections and regional elections in each New Autonomous Region.
The government considers that Papua needs a new province to facilitate public services and encourage people’s welfare, the existence of a New Autonomous Region will create new districts, new government administrative areas, so that development there becomes even more massive.
Acting Governor of Central Papuan Ribka Haluk said the DOB will create more positions for governors, regents or mayors, members of the DPR, DPD, and also DPRD and this means that there will be far more local Papuan politicians accommodated in seats of power, so that the mission of special autonomy is for the welfare of the people will be achieved slowly. Regional expansion will boost economic progress because it can trigger a positive domino effect and if there is a new province, the infrastructure will also be added, and the most intensively built is the highway, and the infrastructure needed is electricity.
Papua has the same right to develop as other regions in Indonesia, which continue to improve their development, in the spirit of unity Papua must also achieve progress in line with the vision of national development, all stakeholders, both the Central Government and Regional Governments, as well as the Papuan people themselves, must unite to realize this goal and make Papua advanced, prosperous, and full of hope.