DPR Commission II: The Expansion Of New Autonomous Regions In Three Provinces In Papua Is Funded By The State Budget

Guspardi Gaus/Photo: Antara

JAKARTA - Member of Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Guspardi Gaus, dismissed the concerns of regional autonomy experts who doubted that the formation of three new provinces in Papua could become autonomous regions and fail.

The reason is, the expert said that there was no period of preparation for the region to be financially and governmentally independent before it was filled with definitive officials. Answering this, Guspardi emphasized, in the final discussion between the Commission II Working Committee of the DPR and the government, one of the things that was agreed was the entire budget for 3 three) New Autonomous Regions (DOB) in Papua will be taken from the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN).

"The amount will be regulated in a government regulation or a ministerial regulation which will later be drafted," said Guspardi to reporters, Thursday, June 30. Guspardi explained that initially there was an article that reads 'if the APBD budget is not disbursed there will be sanctions', in which the finance minister could cut the regional budget. After considering various things, he said, Commission II of the DPR finally removed the sanctions.

"So it can be said that the realization of the new autonomous regions is fully budgeted from the APBN, so not from the APBD," said the PAN politician.

In addition to the budget issue, the West Sumatra electoral district legislator added, Commission II has held an RDP with the MenPAN-RB together with the State Civil Service Agency (BKN) and the State Administration Agency (LAN) to discuss filling out the formation of the State Civil Apparatus (ASN) in the three new new autonomous regions on Tuesday. , June 28.

"After this bill is approved into law, the government will appoint an interim official as governor in three new provinces until elections are held in 2024," said Guspardi.

After reading out the mini-faction's final view on the Bill for 3 Provinces, Guspardi immediately questioned and asked the Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani to really pay attention to the issue of the budget allocated from the APBN.

"We ask the Minister of Finance to be able to address and oversee this budget issue carefully so that the expansion of the 3 new autonomous regions in Papua goes well, and the Bill for 3 new autonomous regions in Papua will be ratified into law in a plenary session today, Thursday 30 June 2022," he concluded. . Previously, regional autonomy expert Djohermansyah Djohan questioned the readiness of the three new provinces, namely Central Papua, Central Mountains, and South Papua to become autonomous regions because there was not enough preparation period. To become autonomous regions, according to him, the three provinces must at least be independent. economically to finance the administration of government.

The funds are mainly obtained from Regional Original Income (PAD). However, as a new autonomous region, he considered the ability to be able to obtain PAD "totally lacking".

"As a result, there will be aid funds from the central government. If aid funds from the central government don't go smoothly, then of course the autonomous regions cannot run well," said Djohermansyah.