Indonesian Vice President Ma’ruf Amin revealed the reason for the new government’s division of a province in West Papua. One of them is because the West Papua region is too broad. “Papua is very important (to be expanded) because it is too broad,” said Ma’ruf. Ma’ruf explained, apart from the area issue, the division of the province in Papua also considered the factors of accelerating welfare, service and security control. “In Papua, there are many factors. So that Papua is excluded from the division of the province,” he said

“So that the Papua Province, which was originally one province, became four provinces. The West Papua Province was split into two provinces. This is in the context of how to complete West Papua Indonesia in accelerating services and handling welfare in Papua,” he continued. Even so, Ma’ruf said the government was still carried out a moratorium on regional expansion, except for the Papua region. He said hundreds of regions proposed expansion. This was conveyed by Ma’ruf when asked about the proposed division in West Kalimantan. The city has many requests,” he said.

He said currently the government is also conducting an evaluation related to regional expansion. This is because many areas that were previously divided but in fact do not support local revenue. “Then the central government itself is still facing economic constraints which I think we are all still in a pandemic situation. Then now we are facing a global crisis. Now we are still making arrangements, except for Papua,” he explained. As previously reported, Indonesia has four new provinces in Papua. The four are South Papua, Central Papua, Mountain Papua and West Papua.

South Papua, Central Papua and Highlands Papua were inaugurated first. The draft law (RUU) regarding the new autonomous regions (DOB) for the three provinces was passed at the end of June 2022. Furthermore, the Law on the Formation of the South Papua Province was recorded as law Number 14 of 2022. Then, Law Number 15 of 2022 regulates the Formation of the Province of Central Papua. Whereas Law Number 16 of 2022 regulates the Establishment of the Highlands Papua Province. On November 11 2022, the Minister of Home Affairs (Mendagri) appointed three acting governors in the Provinces of South Papua, Central Papua and Papua Mountains. Meanwhile, West Papua Province has just been established. The Draft Law on the Establishment of the Southwest Papua Province was passed through a DPR RI meeting with the government on November 17, 2022.

The Division Of Papua As A Game Changer For The Acceleration Of Development

Deputy President K.H Ma’ruf Amin, as Chairman of the Agency for the Acceleration of the Development of Special Autonomy for Papua, received Acting Governors in the 3 New Autonomous Regions of Papua, both Ribka Haluk the interim Governor of Central Papua, Prof Dr Apolo Safanpo the interim Governor of South Papua, and Nicolaus Kondomo the interim Governor of Papua Mountains, at the Vice Presidential Palace, Jl Merdeka Selatan, on November 14, 2022.

The Vice President’s Special Staff, Masduki Baidhowi, explained that the Vice President sees the interim governors as historic milestones in building governance and development in the 3 new Provinces.

In the view of the Vice President, the division of the Papua Province is a breakthrough policy to accelerate the distribution of development, improve public services and increase the participation of Indigenous Papuans in local democracy.

According to Special Staff of the Deputy President, Masduki Baidhowi, there were 5 messages from the Vice President to 3 temporary governors.

*First*, make the division of the province of Papua a game changer in realizing a leap in regional development and empowering indigenous Papuans. The Vice President asked the interim Governor to seek breakthroughs and innovations according to the regional context. Do not walk mediocre at the beginning of the reign.

*Second*, immediately formulate an integrated road map and action plan in the implementation of the 2022-2024 new autonomous regions. Pay attention to the time frame that is in line with the stages of the 2024 Election and the 2024 Pilkada.

Meanwhile, *Third*, the Vice President asked the interim Governor to consolidate the Regents to prepare a design for accelerating the development of the Province, in line with the 2022-2041 Master Plan for the Acceleration of Development in Papua as mandated by Law No. 2/2021 concerning Special Autonomy for Papua Province. Formulate a realistic action plan that is quick wins in 2023-2024.

*Fourth,* The Papua Steering Committee (BPP) will provide assistance and facilitation with the interim Governor in strengthening program and funding synchronization with Ministries/Agencies and other related parties. The interim governor must strengthen the collaboration of the parties to lay the initial foundation in development.

Meanwhile, the Vice President’s message was *Fifth,* given the complex situation in Papua, the Vice President asked the interim Governor to strengthen social communication with all segments of society. A conducive situation is the key to success in managing and building a region as a big home for all.

The Papuan people should be grateful, because in the midst of the moratorium on expansion, the Government implemented an affirmative policy in the spirit of Special Autonomy.