Law on Special Autonomy in Papua is Commitment to Bring Welfare for People: Minister
Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian (15/07/2021). (Photo by: PR of Secretariat Cabinet)
The Government has announced it has passed the bill of the Special Autonomy of Papua Province into Law Number 21 of 2021.
The special autonomy status of Papua province has been implemented for 20 years, according to Minister of Home Affairs Muhammad Tito Karnavian Thursday (15/07/2021).
Tito added that many things have been achieved and several things need to be improved, one of which is equal development between cities or regencies.
Tito pointed out that a plenary discussing the Second Amendment to Law Number 21 of 2001 is a joint effort and commitment from the Government, the House of Representatives (DPR) and Regional Representative Council (DPD) to bring equal welfare for people in Papua as an integral part of the Indonesian nation.
The Government, he added, only proposed an amendment to three articles of the law, including Article 1 on General Provisions, Article 34 on Finance, and Article 76 on Regional Expansion.
Nevertheless, the working meeting of the Special Committee has set amendment to twenty articles, three articles proposed by the Government and seventeen other articles as results of the working meeting, he added.
This amendment, Tito added, represents a firm affirmation policy for the people in Papua. The affirmation policy consists of three main frameworks. They are as follows:
First, Affirmation of Politics. This amendment regulates that in Papua, the Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) at regional and municipal level is called the Municipal People’s Representative Council (DPRK), adding that one-fourth of the members must be local people of Papua and thirty percent of the members must be Papuan women.
Second, Affirmation of Economics. This amendment represents the Government’s position to stand with local people of Papua to boost local economy.
Under this law, the special autonomy fund is increased from 2 percent to 2.25 percent. Moreover, it has been agreed that the oil and gas revenue sharing fund for West Papua province amounting 70 percent is extended from 2026 to 2041 that aims to be used as much as possible to create the welfare of the people in Papua.
With this fund, it is expected that the Regional Government of Papua can boost the development in the region, especially in priority sectors, including education, health, and infrastructure.
Third, the improvement of good governance. This law is expected to improve the implementation of the whole of government concept in order to make the implementation of special autonomy in Papua Province a success. The whole of government concept means collaboration among government’s institutions, for example the regional government, the DPRD, the DPRK, and many more.
Other changes in this amendment that aim to improve a good governance are:
First, the creation of a Master Plan or a Grand Design to measure the target of development.
Second, the distribution of the Special Autonomy Fund that is divided into a general use or a block grant and a performance-based use a specific grant so that the allocation and the use of this fund are more effective and measurable.
Third, the improvement of the distribution mechanism for the Special Autonomy Fund. Under this law, the fund will be directly sent to regencies or cities in order to accelerate its utilization for local people all over Papua. It is also expected to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of good governance in Papua.
Furthermore, the Government, Tito added, will conduct dissemination about this new amendment to all stakeholders all over Indonesia, as well as formulate a government regulation as mandated by the Law on the Second Amendment to Law Number 21 of 2001 on the Special Autonomy in Papua Province. (PR of Ministry of Home Affairs/UN) (AP/EP)
