Central Gov't Prepares Administration for Three New Provinces in Papua

TheIndonesia.co - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD said the central government will immediately prepare administrations and legal basis for three new provinces in Papua after the law was passed.

Mahfud said local administration as well as regulation for people’s representatives will be formulated soon after the House of Representatives passed the law to create the new provinces in Papua.

“Alhamdulillah, three laws on three new provinces in Papua have been passed by the House last week. Our job now is to form the [local] government there, to formulate legal instruments and legal basis for the appointment of representatives to the House, DPD [Regional Representative Council], and DPRD [Regional Legislative Council] at provincial level,” the chief security minister said on Tuesday, July 5, as reported by Antara.

He added that Ministry of Home Affairs will soon deliver its recommendation to the state government on the legal instruments that will regulate the formation of local administration and the appointment of people’s representatives in the three provinces.

The Indonesian government is set to establish Central Papua, Highland Papua, and South Papua provinces, which will add to the existing Papua and West Papua. And as a result, Indonesia will have 37 provinces.

Mahfud said he’s optimistic that all instruments and elements will be ready before the 2024 general election.

“We can now wait, and Insya Allah it can be done in a timely manner. Based on law, it will officially become 37 provinces, and the government will soon decide its implementation,” he concluded.