Discourse and Influence: Community Opinion Leaders in the Formation of a New Autonomous Region in Teluk Bintuni, West Papua

Abstract

The formation of new autonomous regions in Indonesia's reform era is fundamentally a bottom-up process driven by community dynamics, local elites, and political mobilization, in which community opinion leaders play a decisive communicative role. This study analyzes the discourse of community opinion leaders in the formation of the proposed New Autonomous Region of Babo Raya Regency in Teluk Bintuni, West Papua, Indonesia. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach with critical discourse analysis, data were collected through in depth interviews, observation, and documentation involving seven key informants comprising the regional formation drafting team, local legislators, customary leaders, and religious figures. The analysis addresses two dimensions: how community opinion leaders influence the regional formation process, and the communication strategies they employ to shape public opinion and behavior. Findings reveal that opinion leaders function as information brokers, trend setters, and advisors who mediate information flows between formal authorities and the wider community, translating administrative and political developments into locally meaningful narratives. Their discourse mobilizes shared aspirations regarding improved public services, accelerated development, and indigenous self-determination, while constructing a dominant pro-formation narrative that marginalizes skeptical perspectives. The communication strategies combine equalitarian and structuring approaches, leveraging customary authority, religious legitimacy, and kinship networks to build consensus across dispersed communities. The study demonstrates that regional formation outcomes depend substantially on the discursive and relational capacities of opinion leaders, offering insights into political communication in geographically remote and culturally distinctive contexts.