KSP Develops Cross-border Posts To Become A Showcase For Indonesia's Progress

PLBN Skow (doc. Presidential Staff Office)

JAKARTA - The government continues to carry out development at every State Border Crossing Post (PLBN). One of them is the Skouw integrated PLBN in Muara Tami District, Jayapura City.

"One of the strategic issues that concern us is the progress of the border areas," said Deputy V of the Presidential Staff Office (KSP) Jaleswari Pramodhawardani, in a press release, Tuesday, December 8.

According to Jaleswari, the Skouw Integrated PLBN was established in 2006 and was inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on May 9, 2017. In accordance with President Joko Widodo's commitment, the PLBN area will be used as a showcase for growth for Indonesia.

"On May 13 this year, the President gave instructions that there were three PLBNs that were asked to become centers of economic growth, namely the Aruk PLBN, Skouw PLBN, and Motaain PLBN," said Jaleswari.

In its duties, the KSP also has the function of controlling strategic issues such as the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes coordinating with related parties such as the TNI, Polri, Administrator of the PLBN Skouw, Immigration, Customs and Excise and the Papua Province Border and Foreign Cooperation Agency.

Jaleswari stated that KSP wanted to get the latest developments in the management of the Papua Province border. Given the improvement in services and development of PLBN Skouw, it is a challenge in its special efforts in a pandemic situation.

"That's why we came to monitor the development of the Skouw PLBN. This is a program that we have been monitoring since the beginning of 2020,"

Responding to this, the Administrator of the RI-PNG Border Post, Jayapura City, Yan Numberi, said that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Skouw PLBN had prepared a health protocol for crossers between RI-PNG.

"We have prepared it with the existing health protocol. Until now, what has been confirmed in the hospital, no one has come from the PLBN Skouw. The situation is safe," said Yan Numberi.

Yan Numberi said the PLBN Skouw service itself had collaborated with PNG regarding the examination and application of health protocols during the COVID-19 pandemic to passers by.