Chairman of Papua Legislative Council, Yunus Wonda – Jubi
Jayapura, Jubi – Chairman of Papua Legislative Council, Yunus Wonda said the Central Government is not being consistent in its policy on Papua.
He said currently new regulations apparently emerged to cut the authority of Papua Special Autonomy Law. This appears to indicate the Central Government wants to reduce autonomy funds.
Yet no matter how much money allocated for Papua, it means nothing if not followed with good policy and authority for regional government.
“Papua will never be changed and improved if it’s still like this. Although the government was able to call a thousand members of Free Papua Liberation Army/Free Papua Movement, but it won’t change Papua. The problem in Papua is not the matter of daily meals, but it is about the authority for being retuned to Papua. That’s important. The authority is matter, it’s not about the amount of funds,” Wonda said on Friday (12/2/2016).
According to him, budget is not the measurement. Although it has limited budget, but if it was given the authority, it is better for Papua. He said if the Central Government was not serious to endorse the Papua Special Autonomy Plus Law, it’s not a problem. But people are capable to judge the Central Government is not serious to develop Papua. “It seems they want to deduct the Special Autonomy funds. The authority is now being taken by the Central Government. The Regional Budget for infrastructure budgeting for Papua has been reduced. Now some activities are also handed over to the central,” he said.
Wonda provided some examples, including in terms of infrastructures project development. He considered there are some infrastructure projects that previously could be done by Regional Government but now tackled by the Central Government. “If the Central Government wants to develop Papua, one of solutions is the Special Autonomy Plus Law. Although there are those who agree and oppose it, but like or dislike it was a result of study by Papuans,” he said. (Arjuna Pademme/rom)
