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Merauke Regent’s bribery speech sparks investigation call
In a parade speech, Merauke Regent Romanus Mbraka said he had paid “a high price” to House members to alter parts of the Papua Special Autonomy Law.
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Papua’s Merauke Regent Romanus Mbaraka (center, facing camera in white shirt) meets with residents of Kampung Bati in Samkai subdistrict, Merauke regency, Papua, on Feb. 2. (Merauke Administration/File)
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ritics have called for an investigation following Merauke Regent Romanus Mbaraka’s statement inferring that he had bribed members of the House of Representatives to change parts of the Papua Special Autonomy Law to make way for the new South Papua province.
The regent had disclosed the information in his speech during a parade in Merauke to celebrate the establishment of South Papua last Monday, which was recorded and started to circulate on the internet on Thursday.
In the 2-minute footage, Romanus told a story about how a House member called him in 2020 to tell him that he would need to go “all out” if he wanted South Papua to be established.
“I approached everyone in the House. The price was high. If I were to say [the number] then I would be caught by the KPK [Corruption Eradication Commission]. It was expensive. I had to alter an article [of the law],” he said.
On the day of the Merauke regent’s speech, the House had just passed new legislation that created three new provinces in Papua, namely, South, Central and Highland Papua.
Though officials claim that the decision was for the sake of development, critics have conveyed concerns that the move would threaten special autonomy powers.
Merauke was set as the capital of South Papua– a province known for its numerous palm plantations.
