Referring To The Issue Of Expansion Of The Province, Central Java Regional Secretary: Never Think About Adding Provinces

Central Java Provincial Government Office. (ANTARA/Zuhdiar Laeis)

JAKARTA - The Central Java Provincial Government (Pemprov) has responded to the discourse on regional expansion that has resurfaced recently in line with the density of population in the region.

Central Java Assistant for Economics and Development of the Regional Secretariat (Sekda) Sujarwanto Dwiatmoko said that until now the Central Java Provincial Government has no plans or urgency to discuss regional expansion.

"We are not thinking about adding provinces, we are not thinking like that," he said in Semarang, Wednesday, April 16, which was confiscated by Antara.

According to him, the discourse on expanding the Central Java region, which has recently emerged, should become a scientific study.

Moreover, he said, the central government has not yet given a mandate to discuss the division or division of regions in Central Java.

"There is no interest. That is, there is no urgency, which we are thinking about for that. Second, there is also no national order to think about it (expansion, ed). If it becomes academic scientific studies, we respect it and that's good," he said.

Currently, he said, the Central Java Provincial Government remains focused on equitable development efforts in all districts/cities without prioritizing expansion as a solution to regional equity.

Previously, the discourse on expanding Central Java Province resurfaced from various studies, as conveyed by DPD RI member Abdul Kholik in a discussion in Brebes some time ago.

His party encourages the expansion of Central Java Province by providing data-based studies, including collaborating with various universities, such as Undip, UNS, Unsoed, and others.

In the forum, Central Java is proposed to be divided into three to four provinces, namely Banyumasan Province, Muria Raya Province or North Java, Surakarta Special Region Province, and Central Java Province.

Banyumasan Province includes the areas of Tegal City, Brebes Regency, Cilacap Regency, Tegal Regency, Purwokerto City, Banyumas Regency, Purbalingga Regency, Banjarnegara Regency, Kebumen Regency.

Muria Raya Province is divided into areas of Jepara Regency, Kudus Regency, Pati Regency, Grobogan Regency, Rembang Regency, Blora Regency.

Furthermore, the Province of the Special Region of Surakarta, includes the City of Surakarta, Boyolali Regency, Klaten Regency, Sragen Regency, Sukoharjo Regency, Wonogiri Regency

Meanwhile, Central Java Province includes Batang Regency, Demak Regency, Karanganyar Regency, Kendal Regency, Magelang Regency, Pekalongan Regency, Pemalang Regency, Purworejo Regency, Semarang Regency, Temanggung Regency, Wonosobo Regency, Magelang City, Pekalongan City, Salatiga City, and Semarang City.