Cirebon prince warns West Java of separation<\/p>\n
Yuli Tri Suwarni, The Jakarta Post, Bandung<\/p>\n
Increasing momentum to turn Cirebon into a separate province was
\ngiven a boost when the Sultan of Cirebon warned the West Java
\nadministration that its failure to improve the social welfare of
\nlocal people has had special resonance during an era of regional
\nautonomy.<\/p>\n
Cirebon Prince Arief Natadiningrat gave the official warning
\nduring a meeting with Eko Santosa, chairman of the West Java
\nprovincial legislative council, here on Monday.<\/p>\n
Arief said that he was conveying the aspirations of the
\nmajority of people in Cirebon, Indramayu, Madjalengka and
\nKuningan, adding that the four regencies will forge a new
\nprovince if the West Java officials do not begin paying attention
\nto the regional social problems.<\/p>\n
\"We will be waiting for changes until the end of this year ...
\nIf we see no progress, it will likely be better for us to form a
\nnew province to make the power closer to the people,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The idea of a separate Cirebon province emerged early last
\nyear when provincial administration officials failed to fund
\neconomic development programs and tackle social problems such as
\nilliteracy and poverty, prevalent in the four regencies.<\/p>\n
Besides the economic reasons, people in the four regencies
\nhave also been keenly aware of their cultural differences with
\nthe predominantly Sundanese West Java.<\/p>\n
Arief, who is also chairman of the Cirebon Royal Foundation,
\nsaid that a majority of the people and members of the local elite
\nin the regencies have also been disappointed with the provincial
\nand central government, which they said has paid less attention
\nto the region over the last four decades.<\/p>\n
\"Despite the regional autonomy's implementation, the power has
\nbeen concentrated in the central government and the provincial
\nadministration,\" he said. \"The four regencies have no authority
\nto make priorities in the development programs to catch up with
\nother regencies.\"<\/p>\n
He added that the four regencies were rich in natural
\nresources, especially gas and oil deposits, but that a majority
\nof people in the region were still living in poverty, and had not
\neven graduated from elementary school.<\/p>\n
\"It is ironic that we are still supplying eggs to other
\nregencies -- the most important thing is that we have been
\ntreated unfairly, and we won't to continue to live under such a
\ndiscrimination,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Arief called on the provincial administration to launch
\nprograms to immediately eradicate the poverty, and fight against
\nprevalent illiteracy in an endeavor to lift the employment level,
\nand improve overall social welfare.<\/p>\n
The government, he added, should carry out an economic
\ndevelopment program oriented at empowering indigenous people to
\navoid problems stemming from racism in the region.<\/p>\n
The prince also proposed an allocation of Rp 250 million for
\nCirebon to design its own development programs, and make a city
\nplan for the municipality.<\/p>\n
Eka pledged to bring these problems to the fore in another
\ndiscussion between the legislature and the provincial
\nadministration. He said he would encourage the governor to pay
\nmore attention to the four regencies in the future.<\/p>\n
\"Politically, we receive the four regencies' aspirations but
\ngive an adequate time for us to repair all wrong development
\npolicies made the previous administrations,\" he said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/cirebon-prince-warns-west-java-of-separation-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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