Manokwari, W Papua (ANTARA) - The value of special autonomy funds for Papua and West Papua has been increased to about 2.25 percent of general allocation funds, placing them among eight provinces with the highest budgets, the Home Minister has said.
"Papua and West Papua's regional budgets are top eight among provinces in Indonesia though their total population is less than five million," Minister Muhammad Tito Karnavian observed while visiting Sota sub-district in Papua's Merauke district, which is located near the Indonesia-Papua New Guinea land border, on Sunday.
He was accompanied by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD.
According to Karnavian, compared to the regional budget of South Sumatra province, which has a population of more than 12 million, for instance, Papua and West Papua's regional budgets are higher.
However, as Papua is larger than Java Island in terms of size, there is a "specialty" pertaining to the need for accelerating regional development there, he explained.
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To this end, the government is deliberating on the public's aspirations in Papua about the need for creating three more provinces, including South Papua, through a regional division mechanism, the minister said.
He noted earlier that the Home Ministry is currently deliberating and preparing a government regulation in this regard.
Coordinating Minister Mahfud MD has given his ministry a deadline to complete the government regulation on the regional division by October 19, 2021, Karnavian said. It still needs to be merged with the aspirations of those at the grassroots level, he added.
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Karnavian then urged community leaders and all societal elements at large in the districts of Merauke, Boven Digoel, Mappi, and Asmat to stand united to express their aspirations for the creation of South Papua province.
He also asked them to write to Indonesian President Joko Widodo, adding that Merauke district has vast potential in agriculture and fisheries.
Owing to its huge potential and sufficient availability of human resources, he said he is confident that South Papua would rise to become the most developed province in the land of Papua.
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