JAYAPURA — Papua Governor Matius Fakhiri has urged the Ministry of Religious Affairs to expand its service coverage to all regencies across Papua Province. He said the move is important to ensure that religious services are evenly accessible to communities in all regions.

The Governor expressed this hope while attending the 80th Anniversary Ceremony of the Ministry of Religious Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, organized by the Papua Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs at the Papua Governor's Office yard on Saturday, January 3, 2026.

"I hope that in the future the Ministry of Religious Affairs will be able to open representative offices in all regencies, so that services for people in the regions can be further optimized," Governor Fakhiri said.

According to him, strengthening the institutional presence of the Ministry of Religious Affairs in the regions would have a direct impact on improving the quality of religious services, including community guidance, religious education, and the promotion of tolerance and harmony in Papua.

The Governor also said that the Ministry of Religious Affairs has so far played a strategic role in maintaining social harmony in Papua. By expanding its presence to the regency level, services are expected to become closer to the people and better able to respond to local needs more quickly and accurately.

"The Ministry of Religious Affairs has a noble duty in shaping the younger generation in terms of morality and faith. If its services reach the regions, the impact will be tremendous for Papua," he said.

The Papua Provincial Government stated that it is ready to support efforts to strengthen the Ministry's services as part of broader efforts to ensure more equitable public services and strengthen religious life throughout Papua. ***