West Java DPRD Agrees to Rename Province 'Tatar Sunda'

All factions in the West Java Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) have officially given the green light to proceed with the proposal to change the name of West Java Province to Tatar Sunda. This approval will now advance to the next legislative stage.

This crucial decision to preserve identity received a concrete response from the provincial parliament after being agreed upon during a hearing between Commission I and academics, cultural figures, and Sundanese historians in Bandung on Thursday. The proposal had previously faded from discussion in 2013, 2015, and 2020. “The Democrat, PKB, PKS, PAN, PDIP, Golkar, and PPP factions have agreed to proceed to the next legislative stage for the renaming of West Java Province. Gerindra and Nasdem have stated they will follow suit,” said Commission I Chairman Rahmat Hidayat Djati after chairing the meeting.

Rahmat explained that the proposal to change the province’s name had been discussed in several previous meetings. However, this was the first time all faction representatives were present and formally conveyed their political stance. “So, the proposing team has presented this three times. But it was only today that all faction representatives attended in full,” he added.

The strategic steps following this approval will depend on the refinement of the academic paper and the council leadership’s decision on whether it will be deliberated through a Special Committee or reviewed internally by Commission I. Rahmat also reminded that the name adjustment regulation must ultimately obtain approval from the central government. “Comments have also been conveyed from the Regional Governance and Autonomy Bureau regarding the stages, and from the Legal Bureau, because ultimately this must be approved by the central government,” Rahmat stated.

Interestingly, the DPRD’s focus extends beyond just the provincial 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 New Autonomous Region candidates to avoid simply using cardinal directions and instead adopt distinctive local names. “Including candidates for New Autonomous Regions, they shouldn’t just be called West, East, North, South. They should reflect Sundanese names, not just West Cirebon, West Indramayu, East Cirebon, or North Sukabumi, but use distinctive local names,” said Rahmat, adding that the legal framework could be in the form of a Regional Regulation or a Governor’s Regulation.