VP, Minister Discuss Efforts to Accelerate Papuans’ Welfare
Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD on Wednesday (9/6) met with Vice President Ma’ruf Amin to discuss efforts on accelerated development of the wellbeing of the people living in the country’s easternmost provinces of Papua and West Papua.
The Coordinating Minister also reported security situation in the two provinces to support the acceleration plans.
“For that reason, we can immediately implement quick wins programs and bring further wellbeing to Papua (and West Papua),” Vice President’s Spokesperson, Masduki Baidlowi, said after the meeting.
He added that the Government will hold meetings to follow up on the acceleration plans, particularly meeting to draw up the State Budget for the sake of Papuan wellbeing by involving the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas) and Ministry of Finance. The results produced in that meeting will be brought to a limited meeting led by the President.
According to him, the Vice President pays great attention to the wellbeing of people in Papua and West Papua provinces. He also expressed hope that the plans can be executed immediately.
For the record, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo under Presidential Decree Number 20 of 2020 on the Integrated Coordination Team for the Acceleration of Wellbeing Development in Papua and West Papua appointed Vice President as the Chairperson of Board of Directors, and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs as a director. The Board of Directors is obliged to coordinate the implementation of policies to accelerate people’s wellbeing in the two provinces to create an advanced, prosperous, peaceful, and dignified society.
On different occasion last month, Mahfud MD underscored that the Government’s policies adopted in Papua and West Papua provinces are based on prosperous, peaceful, non-violent, and unarmed approaches.
The President, he added, has also issued Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2020 regulating a comprehensive and multidimensional strategy for Papua including the allocation of Special Autonomy Fund for political and educational sectors.
Previously, the Papuan government only received two percent of the total General Allocation Funds (DAU) but now it is to be increased to 2.2 percent. Papua also granted affirmation program for greater political opportunity; that is, governors and deputy governors of Papua and West Papua provinces must be native Papuans.
“There is no such policy in other provinces. In addition, a minimum of 25 percent of seats on Papua Legislative Council (DPRD) are allocated for native Papuans,” he said adding Papuans also gained more opportunities to continue their study at the best universities in Indonesia and work at government institutions from affirmation program.
The Coordinating Minister also asserted that the State Budget allocated for Papua and West Papua provinces is higher than the provinces’ revenue, accounting Rp46.173 trillion and Rp19.203 respectively. Meanwhile the regional revenue of Papua province stood at Rp12.645 trillion, and West Papua’s at Rp5.053 trillion. (TGH/BPMI SETWAPRES/UN) (RAS/MUR)