Mahfud MD: The Governor-Deputy Governor Of Papua Must Be Indigenous

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD. (Photo: Kemenko Polhukam documentation)

JAKARTA - The Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said that the government has affirmative policies towards the political system in Papua. He said the governor and deputy governor must be native Papuans.

"There are special political opportunities provided by the government in the context of affirmation. First, the governor and deputy governor must be native Papuans. Outside Papua there is no such provision, any person can be any governor", Mahfud said in a virtual press conference, Wednesday, May 19.

Then, the government allocated 25 percent of indigenous Papuans in the quota for the election of Regional House of Representatives members. "If there is an election, the original Papuans lose, then the losers are raised. Those who have entered, below 75 percent are eliminated even though they win. So that Papuans have a fixed share as an affirmation", Mahfud explained.

Meanwhile, in the education sector, the government has a Saudara Papua program. Papuans who want to enter the best universities in Indonesia can be accepted with special treatment and are not included in the selection.

"So, Papuans can enter Universitas Hasanuddin (Unhas), Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM), Universitas Indonesia (UI). Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) Universitas Diponegoro (Undip), and so on, and can get rations with only formal recommendations and requirements for formal high school graduates", he said.

President Jokowi continued Mahfud, also instructed all government agencies, both central and regional, to recruit indigenous Papuans to work not only in Papua but also outside Papua.

"We have checked with the TNI, Police, government offices, they have recruited them with special conditions that do not apply to other people. The special requirements are that they can enter with special conditions", Mahfud explained.

It is known, President Joko Widodo implemented Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2020 which mandates the handling of Papua with a welfare approach through comprehensive and multidimensional development.