West Java DPRD Commission I Submits Study on Proposed Province Name Change to Provincial Government
Commission I of the West Java Regional People’s Representative Council (DPRD) has recommended that the proposal to change the name of West Java Province to Sunda Province be studied and followed up by the West Java Provincial Government in accordance with applicable mechanisms. The recommendation follows an audience with the Community for the Study of the Renaming of West Java Province held on 2 July 2026. The recommendation was formalised in Official Note Number 122/NT/KI/VII/2026 dated 7 July 2026, addressed to the leadership of the West Java DPRD. Through the official note, Commission I conveyed the results of its discussions along with the recommendation as part of the DPRD’s institutional mechanism for following up on public aspirations.
Chairman of Commission I of the West Java DPRD, Rahmat Hidayat Djati, stated that the public’s aspiration regarding the name change is part of democratic dynamism that deserves respect. However, he emphasised that the discussion must follow governmental mechanisms and the provisions of applicable laws and regulations. ‘Commission I of the West Java DPRD accepts and appreciates the aspirations conveyed by the community regarding the proposed name change of West Java Province. Furthermore, the entire process must proceed according to the applicable mechanisms so that each stage has a strong administrative and legal basis,’ said Rahmat on Tuesday (7/7/2026). He stressed that Commission I has not made a decision to accept or reject the name change proposal.
The results of the hearing instead recommend that the study process be carried out by the West Java Provincial Government, as the party with the authority to conduct a thorough review of various aspects, ranging from legal and governmental administration to social and cultural dimensions, as well as the impact on regional governance. In the official note, Commission I conveyed three points of recommendation. First, the aspiration of the Community for the Study of the Renaming of West Java Province to Sunda Province is a public aspiration that deserves to be appreciated, studied, and followed up. Second, Commission I recommends that the study and follow-up of the proposal be carried out by the West Java Provincial Government in accordance with the DPRD’s rules of procedure and the provisions of laws and regulations. ‘Regarding the study and follow-up of the name change from West Java Province to Sunda Province, in accordance with the DPRD’s rules of procedure, it is best studied and followed up by the West Java Provincial Government,’ said Rahmat.
Third, Commission I requests that while the study process is ongoing, the West Java Provincial Government strengthen the preservation of Sundanese culture through the development of a local content curriculum at every level of education. According to Rahmat, strengthening Sundanese culture is a strategic step that can be taken regardless of the dynamics of the discussion on the proposed name change. The values of Sundanese culture, language, customs, and local wisdom need to be continuously passed on to the younger generation through formal education channels. ‘Commission I also views that strengthening Sundanese cultural values through education is a strategic step. We recommend that the development of Sundanese culture continue to be strengthened through local content at every level of education in West Java,’ he said. The Doctor of Government Science from Padjadjaran University emphasised that the recommendation issued by Commission I is not solely related to the proposed name change. More broadly, the recommendation is a form of the DPRD’s attention to efforts to strengthen Sundanese cultural identity as part of regional development. He added that the official note is a formal recommendation from Commission I to the leadership of the West Java DPRD as part of conveying the results of the hearing. Further follow-up on the recommendation will proceed according to the mechanisms applicable within the West Java Provincial Government. Thus, the proposal to change the name of West Java Province is currently still at the stage of conveying aspirations and recommendations. The next process will depend on the results of the West Java Provincial Government’s study and the mechanisms regulated in the provisions of laws and regulations before any further decision can be made.