JAYAPURA – The Papua Provincial Government, along with regents and mayors across the province, has signed a memorandum of understanding on the allocation of the Special Autonomy Fund and the Additional Infrastructure Fund (DTI) for the 2026 fiscal year. The signing took place at Lukmen Hall, State Building, Jayapura, on Thursday (Sept 4, 2025).

The agreement reflects a shared commitment to more transparent and well-targeted financial management, prioritizing public welfare. On this occasion, Acting Governor Agus Fatoni underscored that the Special Autonomy and DTI funds must be allocated effectively so that their benefits are felt directly by the people of Papua.

“These funds have already been allocated. What I emphasized earlier is that the most important thing is proper allocation. The allocation must be precise so the community can feel the impact, and utilization must also be swift, with rapid realization,” Fatoni said.

He noted that one of the key challenges in managing the funds has been delays in budget realization. To address this, the provincial government is urging disbursement to begin at the start of the fiscal year.

“Why should it start early? First, development can begin sooner, so people feel the benefits earlier. Second, public services can be improved more quickly, making them more efficient and accessible,” Fatoni explained.

“Third, the economy will grow if spending begins early. Fourth, funds will circulate within the community, boosting purchasing power,” he added.

Fatoni emphasized that the timely and targeted use of funds would accelerate prosperity, enhance public trust in the government, and foster greater public participation, including through increased tax compliance. Increased tax revenue, in turn, would expand the development budget and enable more effective programs.

Regarding evaluation, Fatoni acknowledged that while the use of Special Autonomy and DTI funds has improved year by year, further refinements are needed to ensure optimal implementation.

“If realization is swift, then other transfer funds may hopefully also be considered for an increase,” he said. ***