Government Proposes Additional Special Allocation Funds For Papua's Special Autonomy

JAKARTA - The government has proposed a special allocation fund (DAU) budget addition scheme in the second amendment to Draft Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Special Autonomy in Papua province. The Papua Special Autonomy Bill is included in the 2021 Prolegnas.

"As is well known, the Papua Special Autonomy which was given through Law Number 21 of 2001 has been implemented for almost 20 years," said Chairman of the Papua Special Autonomy Law (Otsus) Revision Committee Komarudin Watubun at a working meeting (Raker) of the special committee (Pansus) for the special autonomy of Papua. in Jakarta, Thursday, May 27.

Komarudin revealed that the government through the Bill proposed the resolution of the Papua problem in two ways. First, extending the provision of special autonomy funds for the next 20 years.

Then through Papua province, the bill that is being discussed can solve various problems related to the implementation of Otsus in Papua.

"The extension is accompanied by an increase of 2.5 percent of the DAU from the previous 2 percent along with changes in governance," he said.

Komarudin emphasized the initial goal of giving Otsus to Papua for justice, upholding the rule of law, respecting and upholding human rights, accelerating economic development, improving the welfare and progress of the Papuan people in terms of equality and balance and progress with other provinces in Indonesia.

"When viewed at this time, it still shows problems that have created dissatisfaction in the community," he said.

The PDI-P politician said that to complete the discussion, the DPR held a working meeting to hear input from the TNI Commander, the Head of the State Intelligence Agency (BIN) and the head of the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).

The Special Committee expects input and evaluation to be carried out by Bappenas, related to development planning in Papua so far. Questioning, what is the main problem of development planning in Papua and what is the future development planner in Papua.

Meanwhile, at the working meeting, Minister of National Development Planning / Head of the National Development Planning Agency (PPN / Bappenas) Suharso Monoarfa explained five issues and problems of the Papua special autonomy fund (autonomy).

First, Suharso said that the Papua special autonomy funds have not been on target so far.

"The special autonomy funds which are prioritized for human resource development, especially education and health, infrastructure and economy have not fully benefited the indigenous Papuans," said Suharso.

Second, governance of Papua's special autonomy funds. Suharso said that there is no supervision and implementing regulations governing the governance of the Papua special autonomy fund.

"The lack of commitment and capacity of human resources, the apparatus managing the special autonomy funds," said the PPP chairman.

Third, related to development targets in Papua. According to Suharso, so far there has been no achievement target that underlies the management of the autonomy fund at the end of the implementation of special autonomy in 2021.

Fourth, the end of the special autonomy fund in 2021, where the source of development revenue in the APBD structure in the Papua and West Papua Provinces is 60 percent from the balance fund.

"Then the president decided to direct the continuation of the special autonomy fund allocation for Papua with good governance," said Suharso.

The fifth is the grand design in the development of Papua. "There needs to be a grand design in the management of the special autonomy fund that is adjusted to the target of Papua's welfare," he concluded.