West Papua accelerates administrative requirements for DPRP and MRPB building construction
The West Papua Provincial Government is accelerating the completion of all administrative requirements as the initial stage for the reconstruction of the West Papua Provincial House of Representatives (DPRP) and the West Papua People’s Assembly (MRPB) buildings, which were burned down during riots in August 2019.
West Papua Governor Dominggus Mandacan in Manokwari on Thursday requested all relevant regional agencies to finalise the process of releasing customary land rights, issuing land certificates, and other supporting documents before the end of 2026, so that the central government can immediately commence the planning and construction stages.
‘All processes, from customary release, certificates to other administration, must be prepared so that development planning can begin,’ Dominggus said.
He explained that the provincial government has been pursuing the reconstruction of the two buildings since 2025 through coordination with the Ministry of Public Works and the Ministry of Finance. The results of that meeting were then followed up with the submission of an official letter to the Ministry of State Secretariat as part of the administrative process.
According to him, the central government has responded to the proposal, and the regional government has been asked to complete all administrative requirements, including land provision, land acquisition, relinquishment of customary rights, and asset legality, before handing them over to the central government.
‘After all requirements are met, the land status will be transferred to the central government so that the physical construction of the DPRP and MRPB buildings can be fully financed through the state budget (APBN),’ he said.
Dominggus noted that the two buildings have not been rebuilt since they were burned during the riots triggered by protests against a racism case in Surabaya in August 2019. Meanwhile, several other affected public facilities, including a market in Fakfak Regency, have been completely rebuilt by the central government.
In addition to accelerating the completion of administrative requirements, Dominggus expressed hope that the central government could take on a larger share of the preparatory work, given the West Papua Provincial Government’s limited fiscal capacity following the budget efficiency policy.
‘We hope the central government will also handle the land preparation work, while the regional government will only prepare the site clearance and complete the land administration and legality,’ Dominggus said.
Based on the cost budget plan and initial funding proposal submitted by the West Papua Provincial Government, the estimated total budget to rebuild both buildings is around Rp350 billion. The breakdown is Rp200 billion for the DPRP building and Rp150 billion for the West Papua People’s Assembly (MRPB) building.
The reconstruction project was initially proposed through a cost-sharing scheme between the regional budget (APBD) and the state budget (APBN). However, in its development, the West Papua Provincial Government coordinated with the Ministry of Public Works, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Secretariat so that the entire physical construction could be fully funded by the state budget.