Blessing Otsus for Papua

 

The Papua Special Autonomy Budget (Otsus) is a blessing for the province located in the easternmost region of Indonesia. Therefore, it is appropriate that officials who divert the budget must be prosecuted legally.

Pdt Albert Yoku as a Papuan community leader, asked the government to enforce the law in Papua, especially for officials who misused the mandate of the special autonomy fund.

This was conveyed during the forum for Regional Heads in Tanah Tabi and Sairei Papua. The audience was attended by the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, at the Sari Pan Pacific Hotel.

Dorince Mehue, a female leader who is also the Chairperson of the Evangelical Church Women's Guild (PW GKI), asked the central government to evaluate the use and management of the special autonomy fund.

Dorince said that Otsus is a blessing from God through the central government, but it has been abused by a number of people so that the impact does not reach the Papuan people.

The government must of course begin to evaluate this issue together with the Papuan and West Papua People's Assembly. Dorince admitted that he would still support the policies of the central government in the future.

On a different occasion, Deputy Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Coordinator for Political and Security Affairs (Korpolkam) M Azis Syamsudin, asked the government to pay attention to the findings of the Indonesian National Police (Polri) regarding alleged irregularities in the Papua Special Autonomy (Otsus) fund.

According to the Golkar Party politician, the government can exercise close supervision by promoting accountability and transparency.

In his written statement, he stated, if necessary, we should include the corruption eradication commission (KPK) and other law enforcement officials in overseeing Papua's Special Autonomy funds so that there are no irregularities in the use of the special autonomy funds.

He also added that the DPR is also open to the government wanting to revise Law (UU) Number 21 of 2001 concerning Papua's Special Autonomy.

Azis assessed that the Papua Special Autonomy has the aim of creating prosperity and equality for the people of Papua and West Papua as a whole.

The legislator from Lampung revealed that all parties want Papua and West Papua to be more prosperous. He admitted that he did not want to see differences and discrimination against the Papuan people.

"If differences and discrimination against the Papuan people are removed, of course the welfare of Papua can be fully achieved"

Previously, the government had submitted a proposal to revise the Papua Special Autonomy Law to the Indonesian Parliament. The legislative body followed up by creating a Special Committee (Pansus) to discuss the revision of the Law.

In the DPR Plenary Meeting for the Closing of Trial Period III for Session Year 2020-2021, February 10, 2021, a decision was made to form a Special Committee for the Bill on the Second Amendment to Law Number 21 of 2001 concerning Papua Special Autonomy.

Although the Special Committee has been formed from various representatives from the factions, they cannot immediately work because its formation was legalized in a plenary session, meanwhile the DPR also has to carry out a recess until March 6, 2021.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Indonesian People's Consultative Assembly for Papua, Yorrys Raweyai, emphasized that his party remains committed to assisting the government in resolving various problems that have occurred in Cenderawasih, especially towards the end of Special Autonomy for Papua in 2021.

He revealed that at that time the Indonesian MPR for Papua received an agreement with the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs together with the Minister of Home Affairs, the National Police and the TNI Commander. This means that the MPR for Papua is trusted to be a facilitator and communicator regarding the Papua issue between the central and regional governments.

The existence of the Papua Special Autonomy since 2001 is a statement by Papuans who feel left behind from various aspects. According to him, in the period of 20 years until now, the presence of Otsus is recognized as providing enormous benefits to the land of Cenderawasih.

Billy Mambrasar as President Joko Widodo's special staff once said that the results of a survey with a sample of 500 Papuan millennials, they thought that Otsus was a process and needed continuous improvement. For example, the use of the budget that must be improved.

Otsus is a process of building body and soul. Because of that, the good things that have been obtained from Otsus, such as in the education sector which is an investment in human resources, so that Otsus Papua can one day destroy the barriers that prevent young Papuans from continuing to university.

 

Moses Komaropen

Papuan Observer