Bangka, Belitung set to become province
JAKARTA (JP): Only a week after passing the bill establishing Banten province, the House of Representatives (DPR) is expected to endorse a bill on the conversion of the South Sumatran islands of Bangka and Belitung into a new province in the immediate future.
Matori Abdul Djalil, deputy speaker of the People's Consultative Assembly (MPR), said that despite strong opposition from the South Sumatran provincial authorities, local people in both islands were very optimistic that the House would pass the bill into law during its plenary session next week.
"Local people in both islands are not able to sleep at night while awaiting the discussions on the long-awaited establishment of the new province.
"Numerous local people want to come to Jakarta to watch the plenary session, which is scheduled for Oct. 24," Matori said upon his arrival here from Bangka on Monday.
Matori, also chairman of the National Awakening Party (PKB), said all of the House factions had pledged their support for the bill. The debate on the bill is expected to be completed this week.
Both the South Sumatran provincial administration and the legislative council have recently opposed the bill, saying that the region was not yet ready, either financially or economically, to become a new province.
Besides the bill on the Bangka-Belitung province, the House is also deliberating a bill on the development of the Riau islands into a new province. This bill has also been opposed by Riau's governor and legislative council.
Matori said that it was feasible for Bangka, Belitung and the surrounding islets to be developed into a new province not only because the region was isolated from South Sumatra province, but also because the area had an abundance of resources in the mining, fishing and agricultural sectors which could be developed in the future.
"However, the people there should not dream of rapid change in the new province, because they will have to work hard to achieve progress in the future," he said. (rms)