Indonesia officially added its newest province and four new districts on Thursday, bringing the national total to 34 provinces and 501 districts/municipalitiesJakarta Globe reported news.
The House of Representatives, in a plenary session, passed five bills establishing the creation of the province of North Kalimantan along with the districts of Pangandaran in West Java, Pesisir Barat in lampung, Manokwari Selatan and Pegunungan Arfak, both in West Papua.
Agun Gunanjar Sudarsa, the head of the House commission on autonomy and regional governments, said that the draft laws were discussed after the legislature received a letter from President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the matters on May 11.
The letter appointed Home Affairs Minister Gamawan Fauzi to lead the discussions about the proposed new province and the 18 proposed districts. With five of the territories now officially recognized, the minister hopes that this new arrangement will lead to better organization and more efficient public services.
“[The new territorial organization] should encourage better state management and accelerate the achievement of prosperity for the people in the [areas involved],” Agun said.
Agun, who hails from the Golkar Party, hopes that with the creation of North Kalimantan, there will be no more overlapping territorial claims with neighboring Malaysia and its bordering states of Sarawak and Sabah.
“North Kalimantan has the potential [to]safeguard the territorial sovereignty and the dignity of the Republic of Indonesia,” he said.
He added that the House was calling on the government to help develop the new province quickly.
House Speaker Marzuki Ali received unanimous approval as well as a round of applause from spectators when he conferred with the nine political factions in the legislature regarding the five draft laws.
“The members of the council approve the draft laws on the establishment of new autonomous regions and officially pass them into law,” Marzuki said before banging his gavel.