Manokwari – The West Papua Provincial Government has prepared two regulations to support the smooth implementation of the selection of candidates for members of the West Papua House of Representatives (DPRPB) for the 2024-2029 period by appointment mechanism or special autonomy route.
Head of the West Papua National Unity and Political Agency (Kesbangpol) Muhammad Thamrin Payapo in Manokwari, Monday, said the regulations were in the form of West Papua Governor Decree Number 71 of 2024 concerning Regional Appointments of DPRPB Members, and West Papua Governor Decree Number 72 of 2024 concerning Allocation of DPRPB Member Seats.
“The regulations already exist. But we are still waiting for the Decree of the Minister of Home Affairs regarding the DPRPB member election committee,” said Thamrin Payapo.
After the expansion of Southwest Papua Province, he said, the number of seats allocated for DPRPB members in the special autonomy line has been reduced from 11 members to 9 members including one leadership element.
Thus, the total number of DPRPB members for the 2024-2029 period is 44 people, including 35 members from political parties from the 2024 elections and 9 people from the special autonomy route or appointment mechanism.
“We have also prepared a draft of the selection committee regulations, so that after the selection committee is appointed, they will immediately plenary,” Payapo said.
He explained that the area of appointment of DPRPB members for the special autonomy route is spread across seven districts with two customary areas, namely the Doberay customary area and the Bomberay customary area.
The entire selection process prioritizes the principle of deliberation and consensus by taking into account 30 percent of women’s representation in accordance with the mandate of the Papua Special Autonomy Law Number 2 of 2021.
“From the two customary areas, seven candidates were selected, and the remaining two candidates were proposed from Manokwari and Fakfak as areas with the largest number of indigenous Papuans,” Payapo said.
He hopes that the West Papua Regional Government Budget Team (TAPD) will increase the allocation of costs for the selection of DPRPB candidates for special autonomy, because the previous budget has been used to support the selection of DPRK candidates in seven districts.
The projected cost of selecting members of the DPRPB and DPRK special autonomy pathways throughout West Papua was previously proposed to be approximately Rp18 billion, but only Rp6 billion was realized, so Kesbangpol needs additional costs.
“We have written to TAPD but until now there has been no answer. But we are in the process of preparing all the needs,” Payapo explained.
The DPRPB, DPRK, and West Papua People’s Assembly (MRPB) institutions are mandated by Law Number 2 of 2021, and Government Regulation Number 106 of 2021 concerning the Authority and Institutional Implementation of the Papua Special Autonomy Policy.
The presence of DPRPB and DPRK strengthens the delivery of the aspirations of indigenous Papuans through parliamentary institutions, while the MRPB is authorized to provide recommendations and considerations on policies related to the rights of indigenous peoples.
“Currently, the term of office of DPRPB members of the special autonomy route for the 2019-2024 period has automatically ended along with DPRPB members of political parties for the 2019-2024 period,” Payapo explained.
For information, the names of those who will become the selection committee for DPRPB members of the special autonomy track for the 2024-2029 period have been sent to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
