Mahfud MD Upbeat Papuans Welfare will Improve Following Inauguration of New Autonomous Provinces

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia's chief security minister Mahfud MD is upbeat about Papuans' security and welfare continuing to get better following the inauguration of new autonomous provinces of South Papua, Papua Pegunungan, and Central Papua on Friday.

Three acting governors officially took their oaths of office to commence their works at the new provinces during an inauguration ceremony taking place at the Home Ministry building in Central Jakarta.

"Congratulation to the best Papuan figures who are, today, sworn in as the acting governor of Papua Pegunungan Province, Papua Tengah Province, and Papua Selatan Province," Mahfud MD tweeted on his Twitter account.

The coordinating minister for political, legal, and security affairs tweeted his congratulatory messages to Apolo Safanpo, acting Papua Selatan governor; Nikolaus Kondomo, acting Papua Pegunungan governor; and Ribka Haluk, acting Papua Tengah governor, on the sidelines of his participation in the ASEAN Leaders Summit in Cambodia on Friday.

Home Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian inaugurated the three acting governors on behalf of President Joko Widodo with the hopes that they would make utmost efforts to work well.

The inauguration of the three new autonomous provinces has increased the count of Indonesian provinces on the Island of New Guinea to five.

Two other Indonesian provinces -- Papua and West Papua -- have existed earlier on the western part of the island. Those Indonesian provinces share land and sea borders with Papua New Guinea.

The inauguration ceremony, which took place at the Home Ministry building in Central Jakarta, was marked by the beats of Tifa drums beaten by Karnavian and his deputy, John Wempi Wetipo, and two government officials.

"This Friday, November 11, 2022, on behalf of the Indonesian president, I, as the home minister, inaugurate South Papua Province based on Law No.14 of 2022, Central Papua Province based on Law No.15 of 2022, and Papua Pegunungan Province based on Law No.16 of 2022," Karnavian remarked.

Following the House of Representatives' (DPR's) enactment of the three laws on June 30, 2022, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) validated those three new autonomous provinces on July 25, 2022.

The laws stipulate that President Jokowi must appoint acting governors within six months after the enactment of the laws. They will be in power until regional elections are held to elect the definitive pairs of governor and deputy governor.

Soon after their inauguration, the acting governors would commence their administrative works. The laws also mandate them to facilitate the formation of the Papuan People's Assembly (MRP) and Papua People's Representatives' Council (DPRP).

The laws also mandate them to facilitate the convening of regional elections for electing the definitive pairs of governor and deputy governor as well as to manage their respective provinces' budgets.

Home Minister Tito Karnavian said the three new provinces in Papua would further bring positive impacts on the lives of people as shown by the earlier experience of regional division to create West Papua Province.

West Papua has clocked swift development in terms of bureaucracy, issuance of permits, public services, and the handling of other administrative matters, he added.

ANTARA

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