Home Affairs Ministry Monitors Push to Rename West Java to Tatar Sunda

The discourse on changing the name of West Java Province to the Province of Sunda or Tatar Sunda is currently attracting public attention. Responding to this, the Ministry of Home Affairs stated that it has not yet received an official proposal regarding the provincial name change. Head of the Information Centre at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Benni Irwan, said the ministry has so far only followed the development of the discourse through media reports. “So far, not yet. But we are following it in the media,” he said when contacted on Monday (6/7/2026). When asked about the process or mechanism required for the name change, Benni did not elaborate. He emphasised that the ministry is waiting for an official submission before proceeding in accordance with existing regulations. “And of course, we at the Ministry of Home Affairs are waiting and looking at the possibilities later, in accordance with the regulations, of course. So that is the situation for now,” Benni said. When asked whether the ministry is still waiting for an official proposal from the West Java Provincial Government, Benni confirmed it. “Yes… yes, that is correct,” he said. Previously, all factions in the West Java Regional House of Representatives officially gave the green light, agreeing to proceed with the proposal to change the name of West Java Province to Tatar Sunda. This approval will now enter the next legislative stage. This crucial decision to preserve identity finally received the most concrete response from the regional parliament after being agreed upon during a hearing between Commission I of the West Java DPRD and several academics, cultural figures, and Sundanese historians in the Commission I Room, Bandung, on Thursday, after having previously faded in 2013, 2015, and 2020. “The Democrat, PKB, PKS, PAN, PDIP, Golkar, and PPP factions stated their agreement to proceed to the next legislative stage for the name change of West Java Province. Gerindra and Nasdem earlier stated they would go along,” said Chairman of Commission I of the West Java DPRD, Rahmat Hidayat Djati, after chairing the meeting. Rahmat explained that the proposal to change the province’s name had actually been discussed in several previous meetings. However, it was only on this occasion that all faction representatives were present in full and officially conveyed their political stance. “So, the proposing team has presented this, this is already the third time. But it was only today that it was attended by complete representatives of the factions,” he added. The strategic steps following this approval will depend on the refinement of the academic paper and the decision of the council leadership, whether it will be deliberated through a Special Committee or studied commissionerally within Commission I. Rahmat also reminded that the regulation for this name adjustment must ultimately obtain final approval from the central government. “Earlier, comments were also conveyed from the West Java Provincial Governance and Regional Autonomy Bureau on what the stages are like, and from the Legal Bureau, because ultimately this must become the approval of the central government,” Rahmat said. Interestingly, the DPRD’s spotlight did not stop at the province’s name. The legislature is also pushing for the strengthening of local identity in the naming of housing estates, tourist attractions, buildings, and the numbering of Prospective New Autonomous Regions so that they do not merely use cardinal directions but instead absorb distinctive local names. “Including Prospective New Autonomous Regions, do not use West, East, North, South. They should roughly reflect Sundanese names, not just West Cirebon, West Indramayu, East Cirebon, North Sukabumi, but have distinctive local names,” said Rahmat, adding that the legal umbrella could be a Regional Regulation or a Governor Regulation.