Prabowo asks for Papua development to be accelerated in all fields

President Prabowo Subianto asked for the acceleration of Papua development in all fields, when meeting with regional heads throughout Papua and the Papua Special Autonomy Development Acceleration Executive Committee at the State Palace, Jakarta.

"Especially for Papua, we must accelerate development in Papua in all fields," said Prabowo, quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, December 16.

During the meeting, the president emphasized that the acceleration of development was carried out comprehensively by placing food security as the main foundation.

According to Prabowo, a nation's ability to ensure the availability of food for its people is the basis for the continuity of life, civilization, and national resilience.

Therefore, food self-sufficiency is seen as the basis for national transformation, including in Papua.

The President said that efforts to realize food security were not only carried out nationally, but also needed to be achieved at the provincial and even district levels.

"For us to be food secure, we must be self-sufficient in food, we must guarantee our own food production, and this is not only food nationally, we must be self-sufficient in food at the provincial level, even if necessary at the district level," he said.

Prabowo said the establishment of the Executive Committee for the Acceleration of the Development of Special Autonomy for Papua was intended to help governors and regents accelerate the realization of development, so that the allocated budget could immediately be realized for the benefit of the community.

The President also conveyed a number of priority programs of the central government for the acceleration of Papua development to be carried out in line with other regions.

The President said the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Program has been running in Papua and will be completed to reach remote areas. In addition, it is targeted that people's schools can be enjoyed up to the district level.

Other programs of concern include the development of fishing villages in coastal areas, the development of public facilities, the strengthening of food security, and the development of food estate areas.

Prabowo also emphasized the completion of the Trans Papua road construction to increase accessibility to all parts of Papua, open isolated areas, and reduce logistics costs.

"We also have to finish the Trans Papua road so that access to all parts of Papua is better, opening isolated areas as well so that the logistics price can be cut, we reduce," he said.