Dede Yusuf Says Changing West Java's Name to Tatar Sunda Is Unnecessary, Fears Domino Effect

Deputy Chairman of the House of Representatives Commission II, Dede Yusuf, has stated that changing the name of West Java Province to Tatar Sunda is not yet necessary. “Sunda should be a more egalitarian region. Moreover, it is close to Jakarta. So, in a historical context as well, I personally think it is not yet necessary,” Dede said at the Parliament Complex in Central Jakarta on Wednesday.

The former Deputy Governor of West Java expressed concern that changing the province’s name could cause friction between regions. Dede noted that in the past, Bogor and Cirebon had sought to separate and form their own provinces, and that Banten Province was previously part of West Java. “It is very difficult to reunite, one way is by providing space for other cultures,” he explained. “So, if we talk about just one name, a name that is contextual to a single culture, this might eventually cause friction.”

Additionally, he worried that other provinces might imitate the name change. He suggested that West Java should not be renamed Tatar Sunda for the time being. “What if Central Java later changes its name to Solo Province, or something else, we just don’t know. So, it is better to keep it as it is for now,” Dede said.

Previously, the discourse on changing the name of West Java Province to Tatar Sunda had been approved by all factions in the West Java Regional House of Representatives (DPRD). “The Democrat, PKB, PKS, PAN, PDIP, and Golkar factions agreed to proceed to the next legislative stage for the name change of West Java Province. Gerindra and Nasdem have stated they will go along with it,” said Chairman of Commission I of the West Java DPRD, Rahmat Hidayat Djati, on Thursday.

This proposal for a name change had previously emerged in 2013, 2015, and 2020, but subsequently faded. Despite the local parliament’s approval, Rahmat conveyed that the proposal still requires approval from the central government. “Comments have also been submitted from the Regional Governance and Autonomy Bureau regarding the stages, and from the Legal Bureau, because ultimately this must receive approval from the central government,” he said.