The plan to build the transportation infrastructures in the West Papua province and around will be speed up. It was based on the visit done by Joko Widodo or Jokowi as the president of Indonesia.
The Minister of Transportation, Budi Karya Sumadi, often comes together in that visit. In an occasion he said that the constructions like that will be one of the main priorities.
It is especially in the next five years period. The aim is to make the connectivity in those provinces better because they are the future of the country. Furthermore, there are some other aims of why the West Papua needs this transportation infrastructure.
One of them is for the logistic distribution efficiency. After that, it us hoped that the price disparity problem can be solved. It is especially for the service and good distribution for the west and east area.
This plan is also good to support the Competitiveness of domestic products. The main projects are for the land, sea, and air transportations.
The Transportation Infrastructure Plans in the West Papua
As it is explained before that the constructions consist of three different areas. Those are for sure the land, air, and the sea. They are important and need to be finished as soon as possible. Based on the data, here are some buildings that become the target of the government.
- The air transportation sector
For the air sector, airport becomes the crucial service to build. That is why; the government has a plan to build the proper airports there. Those are like Ewer, Kepi, Ilaga, Oksibil, New Nabire, and Mopah.
The other ones are like the Manokwari, Waisai Raja Ampat, New Waisor, and the new Siboru Fak Fak Airport. That is not only in the West Papua province, but also in Papua.
The government gives the detail and the budget allocation which is quite huge. Furthermore, that budget is 33% from the total air sector constructions. It shows how serious the government is to build that region.
- The sea sector
How about the sea sector? Just like the air, the sea method is also included in the major plan of this tropical country. It can be seen from so many harbours that will be built. Those are like the Nabire, Depapre, Pomako, Moor, and Serui Ports.
Meanwhile for the West Papua, the name of the harbor that will be built is the Kaimana. It is hoped that this infrastructure can be reached by the more people.
- The Land Sector
This sector is on the top list since most of the locals will use it. The buildings that will be created are varied such as the bus stop, cross – border, and so on.
The government will build the entropy bus terminal in Jayapura city, water bus pier in Lake Sentani, buses and water buses at Cross-Border Post (PLBN) in Skouw Jayapura Regency.
This development is also to support the implementation of the National Sports Week (PON) which took place in Papua in 2020. The transportation will be easier and more comfortable.
The Adverse Impact of Trans-Papua Development
The WWF organization or the world wide fund for nature welcome positively due to the trans – papua development. They think that it gives so many positive impacts for the province.
However, it cannot be denied that there is always the negative side for every road opening which passing through the protected forest. What is that? There is a possibility that this project can endanger the ecosystem or habitat of an organic community. That could be the flora or even the fauna.
Benja V Mambai as the director of WWF papua organization said that the construction in a protected forest area always comes with it’s impact. It is related to the changing ecosystem.
The example is if this project needs to cut the trees in the West Papua. The negative impact will come although the aim is positive which is to open the isolated area.
The Negative Side Needs to be Minimized
The most important thing right now is not making the highway construction as a problem. It is better to find the right solution of how to minimarket the bad or negative impact.
The solid cooperation between the parties involved is needed. It is hoped that this effort can minimize the negative impact, especially in the protected forest area.
However, the Statistic Center Institution in that province notes that actually this project is able to trigger the Indonesia’s economy. It is especially in the West Papua province and around.
The chief of that institution, Mr. Simon Supari said that the road opening is needed to increase the locals’ economy situation. How it is possible? If this land infrastructure is opened, the people can market their farming products as an example. It is not only in a place, but more.
That situation may bring the other good things. The example is creating a cheaper price for the daily products in the West Papua and the regions around it.
