Anies Considers The Expansion Of Bogor To Be A New Province If He Wins The Presidential Election

KOTAMOBAGU - presidential candidate number 1, Anies Baswedan, said that he would consider expanding the Bogor area from West Java to become a separate province if he won the 2024 presidential election with his vice presidential candidate, Muhaimin Iskandar.

Anies assessed that it was appropriate for Bogor to become a new province. The former governor of DKI Jakarta also admitted that he received a request for a Bogor expansion from the community during a visit to the area.

"There are many aspirations (expansion). I give an example of Bogor. Bogor is an area of West Sumatra province. The population is also as many as West Sumatra," said Anies in Kotamobagu, North Sulawesi, Monday, February 5.

The issue of the expansion of the main Bogor province has become a discourse several years ago. The local government has also conducted a study of the expansion.

The plan is that if a new province is formed, Bogor Raya will include Bogor Regency, Depok City, Bogor City, Bekasi City, Bekasi Regency, Sukabumi City, Sukabumi Regency, and Cianjur Regency.

According to Anies, the issue of expansion cannot only be a discourse. This is because the minimal budget allocation in Bogor and its surroundings that are included in the administrative area in West Java has made the burden of local governments high

"Bogor berstatus kabupaten yang kemudian beban pemerintah Kabupaten itu menjadi sangat tinggi. Kenapa? Karena dia harus melayani tempat yang sangat luas dan tidak setara dengan tempat-pada lain. Jadi, review ini bukan hanya pada satu tempat tapi banyak tempat. Opsi itu tidak ditutup," jelas Anies.

On the one hand, Aniea also received a request from the public to expand the region in North Sulawesi by making Bolaang Mongondow Raya a new province.

Anies admitted that he would consider the realization of expansion if he was elected President of the Republic of Indonesia. This was conveyed in a grand campaign event or a public meeting campaign at Molinow Field, Kotamobagu City, North Sulawesi.

"We are also aware of the aspirations regarding Bolaang Mongondow Raya. That is one of the things that God willing, we will consider to fight for," he said.

Anies assessed that the expansion could be realized with the aim of avoiding discrimination between regions in a province such as uneven distribution of budgets from the provincial and central government levels.

"Don't let there be areas that don't get enough budget, don't get enough attention, the path is not well built and the education is left behind. If that happens, what is needed is its own management, then we will make it a way out," explained Anies.

The issue of the expansion of the Bolaang Mongondow Raya has been in the spotlight of the people of North Sulawesi. It is proposed that the provinces of Bolaang Mongondow Raya will cover four areas, namely Bolaang Mongondow, Bolaang Mongondow Selatan, Bolaang Mongondow Timur, Bolaang Mongondow Utara, and Kotamobagu.