Council agrees on creation of N. Kalimantan province

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.