Achmad Faisal (Social and Political Observer)
Senior Pamong Papua Ambassador, Michael Manufandu: “ The government has fully supported the progress of Papua with a big budget”.
The Papua and West Papua Province has always been the government’s concern. For the sake of increasing the welfare of the people and the progress of Papua, the government has givenit a special autonomy status.
In 2021, the government has allocated a Papua Special Autonomy budget of IDR 7.8 trillion. The funds are contained in the 2021 Draft Budget (RAPBN). This amount is an increase of 3.3% when compared to the 2020 State Budget stipulated in Presidential Decree 72/2020.
Finance Minister, Sri Mulyani explained, the special autonomy fund policy in 2021 to support economic recovery in the regions through community economic empowerment, especially traditional markets. The special autonomy fund is also for the development of facilities and infrastructure for information and communication technology to expand access. In addition, the special autonomy fund is to increase the effectiveness of education and health services and the development of rural electricity infrastructure in Papua and West Papua.
Although the government’s aim is very noble in this special autonomy, it would be better if the special autonomy fund was evaluated. The goal is that the funds provided by the government can be optimally used for the welfare of the Papuan people as a whole.
DPD Committee IV member from West Papua, M. Sanusi Rahaningmas said, the special autonomy fund, especially in West Papua, is still accommodated through a Governor Regulation. As a result, people in West Papua complain that the special autonomy funds are not enjoyed by people in remote villages. Most of the special autonomy funds are only enjoyed by people in the city.
The voice of support for evaluating the Papua special autonomy funds also came from the government. In the webinar, Kawal Special autonomy & Solusi Konflik di Papua, Tuesday (10/13/2020), Deputy Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR), John Wempi Wetipo highlighted the openness of the provincial and city district governments to evaluate the special autonomy system thoroughly. Currently what is happening is that the Provincial and Regency Governments are not open about the implementation, including the absorption policy. Thus, it is not known to what extent the special autonomy funds were absorbed.
In terms of evaluation, apart from provincial and district governments, the central government also encourages community groups to sit together. If all related parties in Papua sit together and are open to each other, it will be possible to identify points that need to be evaluated. Because the most important thing in this case is building economic prosperity, infrastructure, humanizing the Papuan people.
Wempi emphasized, that the government is committed to improving infrastructure in Papua and West Papua. Infrastructure funds from the Ministry of PUPR for Papua and West Papua from 2015 to 2020, which reached Rp. 33 trillion, were used to build connectivity and assist community access.
Meanwhile, the Papua Police Chief, Inspector General Paulus Waterpauw, said that in order for the special autonomy system to be accepted by all levels of society, state officials should be the spokesperson that there is a state policy that is extraordinary in helping Papua through the special autonomy fund. Because the special autonomy funds were not well socialized, in the end there was an opinion in the special autonomy community that it did not reach the community.
The government itself continues to make efforts to open communication with the regional government, the people in Papua regarding the Papuan special autonomy. Expert from Deputy V Presidential Staff Office of the Republic of Indonesia, Laus Deo Calvin Rumayom explained that for the last six months he had been in communication and digging up information on special autonomy. Based on this communication, it is known that all districts and cities show openness to evaluate Special autonomy. However, there are also districts that independently conduct evaluations such as Jayapura.
According to Laus, the government continues to encourage basic facilities for people in Papua to be fulfilled. In this case, KSP coordinates with Bappenas, BPKP, so that various programs at the ministry level related to Papua and West Papua are actually implemented. Moreover, building Papua is listed in Presidential Instruction No. 9 2020 Presidential Instruction No. 9/2020 concerning the acceleration of welfare development in Papua and West Papua Provinces.
The Senior Pamong Papua Ambassador, Michael Manufandu, said that the government has fully supported the progress of Papua with a large budget. The Special Autonomy Fund, which has been rolling out from 2002 to 2020, has reached Rp. 94.7 trillion, is fully the responsibility of the regions because based on the law, all rights have been granted to the regions.
The effectiveness and optimization of the Papua Special Autonomy Fund will return to the community, Provincial Government, Regency Government in Papua. All positive things for the progress and welfare of the Papuan people have been done by the central government. Sitting together in solving problems and not being provoked by negative statements will be better for the progress of Papua and the future of Papua in the future. ()
