Jakarta (ANTARA) - Commission II of the House of Representatives (DPR) has established a working committee to oversee and evaluate the establishment and implementation of the four new Papuan autonomous regions (DOB).

"The working committee is also to evaluate the formation of local government organizations and good governance implementation," the commission’s chair, Ahmad Doli Kurnia, said at the Parliament building here on Monday.

The new working committee was one of the results of the commission's meeting with Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, the acting governors of the four Papuan autonomous regions, the Papua Regional Legislative Council (DPRP), and the West Papua provincial parliament.

Kurnia said that the committee will discuss several issues regarding the four DOBs, namely South Papua, Papua Pegunungan, Southwest Papua, and Central Papua.

"Those issues are related to health, education, the provision of civil servants, implications of DOBs, and their regional budgets (APBD)," he informed.

Minister Karnavian also expressed his support for the formation of the committee. "I agree because this is in accordance with the law, and the Commission II is the working partner of the four acting governors," he said.

Some problems, especially technical matters, often arise following the establishment of new autonomous regions, he added.

He listed several issues such as budgeting issues, shortage of civil servants, and the formation of the four new provincial parliaments.

"New (political) positions and new political systems will potentially emerge in these new provinces, such as the existence of each regional parliament that will provide stronger checks and balances in Papua," he said.

Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, John Wempi Wetipo; acting governor of West Papua, Paulus Waterpauw; acting governor of South Papua, Apolo Safanpo; acting governor of Central Papua, Ribka Haluk; acting governor of Papua Pegunungan, Nikolaus Kondomo; and acting governor of Southwest Papua, Muhammad Musa’ad, were present at the meeting.

Acting governor of Papua, Muhammad Ridwan Rumasukun, did not join the meeting on account of a working visit by President Joko Widodo to three districts in Papua.

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Translator: Melalusa K, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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