Council agrees on creation of N. Kalimantan province

Rusman , Samarinda

The East Kalimantan legislative council approved on Wednesday plans to create the North Kalimantan province, which will comprise one municipality and three regencies.

The four areas to make up the new province are the city of Tarakan and the regencies of Nunukan, Malinau and Bulungan, all areas currently in the northern East Kalimantan.

A fourth regency, Berau, has refused to join the North Kalimantan province.

Deputy East Kalimantan Governor Yurnalis Ngayoh, who attended the council's plenary session, said his administration backed the split of his province.

Yurnalis said the local government now needed to take its plan to Indonesia's president, who would then issue a decree declaring the establishment of North Kalimantan.

"What's important for us is that the new province will be able to afford to finance itself. We don't want its establishment to create new problems," he noted.

Present at the meeting were administrative heads, councillors, community figures and students. All were in favor of the council's decision.

Outside the council buildings, students also carried banners supporting the split.

Although the council had agreed on the split, it has asked the East Kalimantan administration to set up an independent team to study the feasibility of establishing a separate province.

"According to regulations on the creation of new provinces, such an independent team is needed, and the East Kalimantan government must follow up the council's political decision," said Hermain Okol, who chairs the council's special committee on the establishment of the North Kalimantan province.

Tarakan Mayor Yusuf SK said East Kalimantan, which currently has 13 municipalities and regencies, should be separated into two provinces in a bid to improve public services.

"We support the establishment of North Kalimantan province. But in terms of natural resources and others, an independent team should carry out a feasibility study," he added.

However, Berau Regent Masdjuni said joining the new province would disadvantage people in Berau.

He said his regency would still rely on financial support from the southern part of East Kalimantan.

"We support the establishment of the new province but we will not join it," Masdjuni said.