The Acting Governor Paul Waterpauw Is Happy To Receive An Extraordinary Reception In West Papua

Residents of Manokwari West Papua welcome Acting Governor Paulus Waterpauw at the Manokwari Rendani Airport (ANTARA/HO-Tri Adi Santoso)

JAKARTA - Acting Governor of West Papua Paulus Waterpauw appreciated the warm welcome of the local community when he arrived in Manokwari.

Paulus Waterpauw and his entourage arrived at Rendani Manokwari Airport at 08.30 WIT using a Batik Air flight from Jakarta, Thursday 19 May.

As soon as he got off the plane, the Papuan native born in Fakfak was immediately greeted with the Kaimana and Fakfak traditional processions and the Manokwari traditional dance.

"I am very happy because former Governor Mr. Dominggus Mandacan, former Deputy Governor Mr. Mohamad Lokatani, Regional Secretary Pak Nathaniel Mandacan and all levels of leadership in West Papua were present in full. The response from the indigenous people who were here was extraordinary," said Waterpauw, quoted from Antara.

Also present at the pick up of the Acting Governor of West Papua at Manokwari Rendani Airport were Manokwari Regent Hermus Indou, West Papua Police Chief Inspector General Pol Tornagogo Sihombing, XVIII Military Commander Kasuari Maj. TNI Irvansyah Son of Fighter Syarief Syafri.

After resting for a while in the VIP room of Rendani Airport, the group of Acting Governor of West Papua headed for the Swissbell Manokwari Hotel.

The enthusiasm of the residents of Manokwari is quite high in welcoming Paulus Waterpauw's arrival, as evidenced by the fact that the area around the Rendani Airport in Manokwari is full of people who want to take a close look at their new leader who had served as the West Papua Police Chief several years ago.

On Friday (20/5) it is scheduled to take place a ceremony to hand over the position of Governor of West Papua from Dominggus Mandacan to Paulus Waterpauw.

Paulus Waterpauw, a high-ranking National Police officer with the rank of Commissioner General of Police was sworn in as Acting Governor of West Papua by the Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian on Thursday (12/5) in Jakarta.

Paul Waterpauw's inauguration ends speculation over who will continue the leadership in West Papua during the two-year transition period before entering the political celebration of the Simultaneous Pilkada scheduled to take place in November 2024.