REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, KUPANG - Minister of Home Affairs Gamawan Fauzi will officially declare Malaka as new autonomous region in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) on Monday. 

"The ministry change the date of declaration from April 18 to April 22," Head of Belu Region, Joachim Lopez, said on Saturday. 

Malaka, previously within the administration of Belu, now is the 22nd region in the province and the status is granted to boost economic development in the region. Locals of Malaka have demanded to be separated from Belu since 1996. House of Representative finally approved it in December 2012. The new region, adjacent to Bobonaro in Timor Leste, previously threatened to join Bobonaro if the government refused to grant them the autonomous status. 

Ikuti Whatsapp Channel Republika