North Kalimantan Governor Zainal Paliwang Reveals Difficulty Of Land Access, Water Supply And Cement Price Of Nearly IDR 1.5 Million Per Sack In Nunukan Regency

JAKARTA – While attending the National Working Meeting (Rakernas) of the Association of Indonesian Provincial Governments (APPSI) at the Ballroom of the Discovery Kartika Plaza Hotel, Kuta Bali, last Tuesday, May 10, the Governor of Kaltara, Drs H Zainal A Paliwang, told of the obstacles experienced by North Kalimantan (Kaltara).

Zainal also explained the geographical conditions in Kaltara, especially the 3TP area (remote, frontier, backward and borderline) as well as the obstacles in regional development.

One of them is Krayan Sub-district in Nunukan Regency which does not have land and water access. Can only be reached by air access. As a result, the price of basic necessities in the area is quite expensive.

"The price of 1 sack of cement there (Krayan, ed) is almost the same as in Papua, about 1.5 million rupiahs," said Governor Zainal Paliwang, citing Benuanta.co.id, Thursday, May 12.

Not only that, but the Governor also reviewed the readiness of Kaltara as one of the buffer zones for the state capital (IKN) in East Kalimantan.

"I will explain the readiness of Kaltara as a supporter for IKN. Where we have prepared ourselves as best as we can as a buffer zone,” he explained.

Because of this condition, Zainal asked and even urged the central government to reopen the moratorium on expansion. The goal is that the capital city of Kaltara, which is still a sub-district, can become a municipality. The governor also asked for special treatment from the central government for this youngest province.

"This means that we ask for special treatment, we (Kaltara, ed) have the capital in Tanjung Selor District and that is very sad," he said.

He said that the provincial government had also prepared land for the construction of a central government.

"Please the central government's policy to be able to open a moratorium for the capital only," said the Governor in front of the Director-General (Dirjen) of Regional Autonomy (Otda) of the Ministry of Home Affairs.