Papua Special Autonomy Funds Face Delay Risk for 26 Regions Over Uncompleted Documents

Deputy Home Affairs Minister Ribka Haluk has pressed the seriousness of local governments in the Papua region in managing the second phase of the Special Autonomy Fund (Otsus) for 2026. As of early September 2026, as many as 26 regions have not completed their administrative documents, risking a delay in fund disbursement. "The central government is ready to serve, now it depends on the local governments. The speed of disbursement or realization of the Otsus Fund all returns to the local governments," she said in a written statement on Tuesday (8/9). Ribka explained that the central government has eased the requirements for the disbursement of the second phase of the Otsus Fund for local governments. They are not required to account for 100 percent of the first phase's budget utilization, but only a minimum of 50 percent realization accompanied by a performance report. The report must also include output achievements and reports on the use of SiLPA (unspent funds) and the Infrastructure Additional Fund (DTI) from the previous fiscal year. She mentioned that the preparation of the accountability report would not be complicated if the planned activities were truly carried out according to the initial planning. "A minimum of 50 percent. Not 100 percent is requested, just 50 percent accountability or SPJ, that is the condition for the second phase to be disbursed immediately," she explained. The 26 local governments that have not met these requirements are spread across the provincial and district/city levels in six regions: Papua, West Papua, South Papua, Central Papua, Highland Papua, and Southwest Papua. Ribka urged the governors, regents, and mayors in these areas to take swift action. She asked the regional heads to order their technical staff to expedite the document processing for the disbursement of the second phase of the Otsus Fund. This step is important so that the benefits of the fund are not delayed in reaching the community. "The Special Autonomy Fund is for the benefit of the community. We expect regional heads, whether governors, regents, or mayors, to immediately order technical staff to process the request for the disbursement of the second phase of the Otsus Fund," she asserted. In addition to administrative speed, Ribka emphasized the importance of transparency and the use of accurate by-name-by-address data for Indigenous Papuans (OAP). The governance of the Otsus Fund must adhere to the 5T principle: timely, targeted, appropriate amount, proper accountability, and results-oriented. This principle is a commitment to joint improvement after 25 years of Papua's Special Autonomy. She stated that improving governance is a shared responsibility between the central and regional governments without blaming each other. "As public accountability, please convey to the public regarding the condition of realization and utilization of the Special Autonomy Fund," she said. Ribka mentioned that since 2025, the government has made this momentum a milestone for comprehensive improvement of Otsus Fund governance. She hopes that the Otsus Fund will truly provide a tangible impact on the development of the Papuan community going forward. The central government, she continued, remains open to providing assistance and support for local governments facing technical difficulties in processing disbursement documents. Local governments are asked to actively coordinate if they encounter difficulties in the field. "If friends in the regions feel there are difficulties, please coordinate. We are always ready to help our friends in the regions," Ribka concluded.