Supporting the ALA province

Supporting the ALA province

With the growing demand for the formation of a new province in
Nangroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD) to be named Aceh Leuser Antara
(ALA), I and my whole family, who once lived in Banda Aceh from
1989 to 1995, fully support the steps already taken by 51
legislators toward this end.

The five regencies which will belong to the proposed province,
namely Southeast Aceh, Gayo Lues, Aceh Singki, Central Aceh and
Bener Meriah, are geographically a long way from the capital of
NAD. Moreover, their ethnic origin, language, customs, tradition
and culture are also different.

However, in splitting off the ALA, the application of sharia
(Islamic law) should be strengthened while respecting other
religious groups, and the spirit of upholding the unitary state
of the Republic of Indonesia should be preserved.

The same spirit has been maintained in West Java with the
birth of the Banten province, in Riau with the Riau Archipelago
province, in South Sumatra with the Bangka Belitung province and
in North Sulawesi with the Gorontalo province.

BENNY MK
Jakarta