BPK Give Recommendations for Papua Special Autonomy Fund Continue

BPK Give Recommendations for Papua Special Autonomy Fund Continue

The Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) recommends the central government to continue the policy of providing special autonomy (Otsus) funds to the provinces of Papua and West Papua. In accordance with Law Number 21 of 2001, the Special Autonomy Fund for Papua and West Papua sourced from the General Allocation Fund (DAU) of the State Budget will end in 2021.
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"The recommendation, we encourage that the Special Autonomy Fund can be continued, there are only a few improvements that must be done," said Head of BPK RI West Papua Province Arjuna Sakir in Manokwari, Monday (1/13/2020).
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According to Arjuna, improvements that must be immediately encouraged include reforming regulations, especially regulations related to budgets originating from the DAU which are more detailed. "Among them concerns the authority in the field of health education and others, especially the management of these funds," he said.
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Furthermore, improvements need to be made in institutional terms because ideally there is a special institution formed to manage the funds. The BPK also recommended that the management of these funds be carried out separately from the APBD.
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According to Arjuna, this needs to be done to facilitate supervision and find out how much the budget benefits for development in West Papua. So far, fund management is not separate from the regional budget.
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Head of West Papua Regional Secretariat Special Autonomy Administration, Abner Singgir in a separate interview explained, related to regulations, the Provincial Government will propose two options in the revision of the Special Autonomy Law.
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"The first is a total revision of the entire article in the Special Autonomy Law. The second option is a limited revision of Article 34 relating to finance that will end in 2021," said Singgir. At present, studies are still being conducted with the team regarding the revision of the regulation.
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The document still requires several stages of study including harmonization with the Regional Representative Council (DPRD) and the Papua People's Assembly (MRP). West Papua will also coordinate with the Provincial Government of Papua so that the regional governments in the two provinces are one voice in this revision.