DPR RI committee proposes dividing Papua into five provinces
Jakarta (ANTARA) – The House of Representatives Working Committee (DPR RI) on the Harmonization of Papua Province Bill has proposed to create four new provinces from the existing Papua Province.
“We will complete the academic papers on the issue of regional division,” said Inosentius Samsul, head of the expertise agency of the DPR RI General Secretariat, during the working committee session at the Parliament complex here on Tuesday.
The working committee session was chaired by the Head of the Legislative Body of the DPR RI, Supratman Andi Agtas, and was attended by lawmakers and MPs from Commission II who proposed the bill.
Samsul informed that the original Papua province will see most of its 29 districts divided between the new provinces, while the remaining regions will be under the city of Jayapura – which will remain the provincial capital – and Jayapura, Keerom, Sarmi, Mamberamo Raya and Bintang Mountain Districts.
The committee proposed that the northern part of the province be split off to form the province of North Papua, with Biak Numfor district as the proposed provincial capital. The province will include the districts of Waropen, Yapen Islands, Supiori and Nabire.
The committee also proposed the creation of two landlocked provinces carved out of the central part of the province of Papua, namely the provinces of Central Papua and Papua Pegunungan Tengah.
The proposed province of Central Papua will have Timika as its proposed capital and would include the districts of Puncak Jaya, Paniai, Mimika, Dogiyai, Deiyai, Intan Jaya and Puncak.
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Meanwhile, Papua Pegunungan Tengah would consist of the districts of Jayawijaya, Lanny Jaya, Mamberamo Tengah, Nduga, Tolikara, Yahukimo and Yalimo, with Wamena as the proposed capital.
The southern part of the province will be separated to form the province of South Papua, which would include the districts of Merauke, Mapi, Asmat and Boven Digoel, with Merauke as the proposed capital.
Samsul said the committee will supplement the study on the proposed division with the actual conditions in the region.
Meanwhile, Agtas said some committee members have yet to reach consensus on the final names and boundaries of the proposed provinces in Papua.
“We will settle the discussion on the regions tomorrow. We will create the matrix, especially on the proposed regions and their capitals,” the head of the legislative body said.
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