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Regional Representatives Council (DPD) candidate for the East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) constituency, Ferdinandus S. Nggao, endeavors to establish a DPD faction in the House of Representatives (DPR) so as to empower its members in the struggle to develop NTT.

Members of the DPD have the same status as legislators but have not been invested with decision-making authority in the legislative institution. Apart from speaking and making proposals, they are not involved in legal decisions.

'€œSo far the state has spent a lot on DPD members'€™ salaries, without them contributing to the pursuit of regional interests. The payment of DPD salaries in the House is, thus, a waste of state budget,'€ Ferdinandus told The Jakarta Post in Lekolembo, Kota Komba district, East Manggarai regency on Thursday.

The senior researcher from the University of Indonesia'€™s school of economics said the DPD should have the power to decide on issues such as regional splitting, which are currently handled by the House.

To this end, Ferdinandus believes, a faction must be created so that public affairs are not handled solely by the House.

According to him, the DPD has a strategic role to play in the struggle for regional development, by serving as a bridge between regions and the central government in the regional implementation of national programs.

The development of NTT, for instance, should not only be left to the regional administration but must also rely on the efforts of DPD members in the House.

'€œThe motivation for my DPD candidacy is for political regeneration, or the promotion of members in NTT. Second, I'€™m going to strive to have NTT excluded from the category of poor regions.

For a long time and until now, the central government has categorized East Nusa Tenggara as a poor region based on national statistical data,'€ explained Ferdinandus.

However, NTT'€™s regionally generated revenue (PAD) remains low, which is coupled with other problems including inadequate infrastructure and the less-than-optimal management of NTT'€™s potential.

When questioned about what difference there is between Maluku, Papua, Riau and NTT, Ferdinandus maintains that NTT is not actually poor but that its potential has not yet been properly realized.

The vast potential of NTT encompasses the sectors of agriculture, tourism, estates and marine resources. NTT is not suited to mining operations, so non-mining resources should be carefully managed '€” notably the region'€™s abundant marine-related potential.

'€œThe management of reliable human resources is badly needed in NTT to enable [efficient] handling of natural resources. Other efforts should be made beyond the regional budget capacity of NTT. The DPD can contribute to NTT'€™s pursuit for development by serving as a facilitator. So far the DPD hasn'€™t achieved much in the DPR,'€ Ferdinandus noted.

He pointed out that the DPD could also help schools in need books for their students, by working with partners in different private institutions in Jakarta.

'€œI'€™ve delivered hundreds of books to young people in NTT, including those at LG Corner or the Reading Park in Ruteng city, in cooperation with the Catholic Youth Association, and I also distributed other books to the Manggarai Creative Youth Forum. I wish to see local communities respond to the assistance instead of merely receiving the aid,'€ he added.