Academics Call 3 New Provinces In Papua No Need To Rush To Hold Legislative And Regional Head Elections

Istora Papua Bangkit in Kampung Harapan, East Sentani District. (Doc of the Ministry of PUPR)

JAKARTA - Academician Universitas Al-Azhar Indonesia (UAI) Ujang Komarudin menyebutkan lima poin penting yang mendukung pembentukan daerah autonomous baru (DOB) Papua untuk mewujudkan kesejahteraan masyarakat.

"I see that there are still a lot of lagging in Papua. Therefore, with the expansion of the region, there is a new spirit in efforts to improve the welfare of the people. However, this of course requires a number of supports to be realized," said Ujang in Jakarta on Thursday, July 7.

The first point, he said, is the importance of having a regional leader and a bureaucracy that has a spirit to serve the community and is serious, especially in building a provincial DOB.

"Don't be an official who wants to be served, even though the concept of civil servants, ASN (state civil servants), the bureaucracy serves. The reach service should not only be in the office, so it really reaches the community. This is of course necessary in building areas including DOB," he said, quoted by Antara.

Second, he added, local governments that will be formed must really be able to realize development, have an anti-corruption spirit, and be able to coordinate well with the central government.

Third, continued Ujang, the need for a stable security and public order situation so that all acceleration of community welfare efforts can be realized according to plan.

Furthermore, fourth, the support of all parties, including the community, for the three provinces that have just been formed into new autonomous areas, namely the Provinces of South Papua, Central Papua, and Papua Mountains.

Then fifth, he suggested that the three new provinces do not need to rush to hold their first democratic party or general election (election).

He said the election of regional heads (pilkada) and legislative elections (pileg) there would only be carried out if the regions were really ready and the Election Law had been revised.

"I see that if the Election Law has been amended, it can participate in elections, if the law has been amended and they are ready, then they can join. If the election rules are not clear, it is feared that there will be a commotion," he said.

He also reminded that the most important thing at the beginning of the DOB government was that the government had to run stable, thereby minimizing the various development obstacles in the three new provinces.