House proposes bills to start up two new provinces
House proposes bills to start up two new provinces
JAKARTA (JP): The House of Representatives proposed on Monday
two bills to establish two new provinces -- Bangka and Belitung
Islands in South Sumatra and the Riau Archipelago off Riau
mainland -- to prepare for economic development in the two
territories.
The two new bills were submitted by legislators to the House's
plenary session presided over by House Deputy Speaker Soetardjo
Soeryogoerito.
Darmansyah Husein, representing the 80 legislators who
proposed the bill on Bangka-Belitung province, said in the
meeting that considering objective conditions required by law,
Bangka and Belitung Islands were feasible to be developed into a
new province.
He said that in the current situation, both islands are far
off the South Sumatra mainland making it difficult for the
provincial administration to control and provide public service
to residents of the two islands.
"Local officials of the two islands currently must wait for
days to even submit anything to the South Sumatra provincial
capital and what's more, more than 200 islets near Bangka and
Belitung are underdeveloped because of poor transportation and
communications," he said.
He also said Bangka and Belitung with a total size of 16,300
square kilometers have strong economic potential to develop in
the future because the territory is rich with natural resources,
including tin and spice.
"Bangka and Belitung, now a regency, together are far larger
than Bali and Banten and they have potential to grow if they are
developed into a new province," he said, explaining that the
regency is known as the largest tin supplier in the world.
Meanwhile Ferry Mursidan Baldan from the Golkar Party said the
Riau archipelago consists of islands rich with natural resources
and lies in a strategic position between Sumatra and Malaysia and
Singapore.
"Several islands, especially Batam and Bulan, have developed
while the Natuna Islands, located near the South China Sea, are
known for their mining deposits," he said.
The House is currently deliberating the bill on Banten
province, scheduled to be passed into law by the end of this
year. (rms)