Merauke – Commission II of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) conducted a working visit to the Sota Cross-Border Post (PLBN) in Merauke Regency, South Papua Province, on Wednesday (February 4, 2026). The visit aimed to directly observe conditions along the Indonesia–Papua New Guinea border and to absorb aspirations from local communities and regional stakeholders.
Deputy Chair of Commission II DPR RI, Dede Yusuf Macan Effendi, stated that Indonesia has extensive border areas spread across several regions, including Papua and Kalimantan, stretching for thousands of kilometers. Such conditions, he said, require serious attention from the government in terms of border management and supervision.
“We see that border areas in Indonesia still face limitations in management. In many other countries, borders function as a showcase of the nation, not merely as the outermost boundary,” Dede Yusuf said during his remarks at a meeting with the South Papua Provincial Government, the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum (Forkopimda), religious leaders, community figures, youth representatives, and women leaders at Swiss-Belhotel Merauke.
During the meeting, Dede Yusuf also highlighted that many border areas fall within protected forest zones. He encouraged relevant ministries to allow community-based forest management, enabling local governments to play a more active role in control and supervision of these areas.
The delegation, led by Dede Yusuf, gathered input on various challenges faced by local governments, the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI), the National Police (Polri), the Ministry of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning/National Land Agency (ATR/BPN), as well as other border security units. These findings will be used as considerations in formulating future policies on border area management.
“We want to see the situation firsthand and listen directly to the understanding, expectations, and aspirations conveyed by stakeholders so they can serve as comprehensive input for the central government,” he concluded.
