West Papua City Regency Expansion Proposal, DPR Commission II: In Discussion

Chairman of Commission II of the House of Representatives Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tanjung said the proposed district/city expansion in West Papua Province was temporarily under discussion.

JAKARTA - Chairman of Commission II of the DPR Ahmad Doli Kurnia Tanjung said the proposed district/city expansion in West Papua Province was currently under discussion.

"It is under discussion by Commission II," said Doli Tanjung in Manokwari, West Papua, Sunday, June 18.

According to him, regional expansion is a solution in reducing the range of government control so that the development program for the welfare of the people of West Papua is carried out optimally.

Therefore, after the government turns the Land of Papua into six provinces, it is necessary to follow up with the expansion of districts/cities in each province.

"Accelerated the construction of its roads through expansion. Not only provinces, but the expansion of districts/cities to the sub-district and village levels," said Doli.

Doli then appreciated the performance of the Acting Governor of West Papua Paulus Waterpauw for regional development during the 1 year transitional government in the region.

Thus, the proposed district/city expansion submitted by Paulus Waterpauw received a positive response from Commission II of the DPR RI in order to realize the acceleration of regional development.

"The state is always present for West Papuans through the proposed regency/city expansion that we have received," said Doli.

Meanwhile, Acting Governor Paulus Waterpauw hopes for support and prayers from all elements of the people of West Papua so that the proposed new district/city autonomous regions (DOB) will soon be realized by the central government.

"Let's pray together that the proposal will be answered quickly," said Waterpauw.

He explained that the proposal included the expansion of Manokwari Regency into the DOB of West Manokwari Regency and Manokwari Intermediate City, then the expansion of Teluk Bintuni Regency into the DOB of Moskona Regency, Babo Raya Regency, Sebyar Regency, and Bintuni City.

Furthermore, the expansion of Kaimana Regency became the DOB of Teluk Arguni Regency and Yamor Regency, the expansion of one DOB in Teluk Wondama Regency, namely Kuri Wamesa Regency, and the expansion of Fakfak Regency became the DOB of Kokas Regency and the DOB of Madya Fakfak City.

"We have submitted all the proposals to Commission II of the DPR RI on March 20, 2023," said Paulus Waterpauw.

It should be noted that currently there are six provinces in Tanah Papua consisting of the provinces of Papua, West Papua, Papua Mountains, South Papua, Central Papua, and Southwest Papua.

The DOB of the Province of Southwest Papua is efended from West Papua, while the other three provinces are efended from Papua as the main province.