People of W. Sulawesi celebrate new province

Andi Hajramurni, The Jakarta Post, Makassar

West Sulawesi people celebrated on Thursday the establishment of West Sulawesi province, optimistic it would bring them prosperity and stability.

Ali Baal, the regent of Polewali Mamasa -- a regency in the new province -- said residents, overjoyed by the House of Representatives' declaration of the new province on Wednesday, had taken to the streets. Celebrations were also held in four other West Sulawesi regencies: Mamasa, Majene, Mamuju and North Mamuju.

Ali said the West Sulawesi people, called the Mandar people, had tried to separate from South Sulawesi for 50 years. But, their efforts had intensified in 1997, when a group of Mandar people established a forum called the Committee for the Struggle to Establish West Sulawesi Province.

Through the forum, the Mandar community conducted surveys and campaigned for the establishment of the province.

Ali, who also manages communications between five regents in West Sulawesi, said there were several reasons why the Mandar people wanted to separate from South Sulawesi.

He said, when independence was declared in 1945, West Sulawesi became part of South Sulawesi province. But, as time went by, the Mandar people became disheartened by the "neglect" of their area.

The five regencies are rich in natural resources, which, if managed well, could improve the welfare of the over one million people living in West Sulawesi.

Among the natural resources of West Sulawesi are cacao, coffee and coal.

Also, Ali said, the separation would shorten the chain of bureaucracy, with people no longer having to travel to the South Sulawesi capital of Makassar for administrative affairs.

He said a province should be divided into 15 to 17 regencies or municipalities, while South Sulawesi province had 23 prior to the separation of West Sulawesi.

Separately, South Sulawesi deputy governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo said he welcomed the House's decision: "We will lose a certain amount of revenue, but, for the sake of the West Sulawesi people, we have agreed."