West Java lawmakers back ‘Tatar Sunda’ name proposal

hartono · Jul 3, 2026

West Java lawmakers back ‘Tatar Sunda’ name proposal

Illustration -- A plenary session at the West Java Provincial Legislature (DPRD) on Thursday (July 2, 2026). ANTARA/Ricky Prayoga/nbl.

Bandung, West Java (ANTARA) - West Java's provincial legislature on Thursday approved a proposal to rename the province "Tatar Sunda" (Land of Sunda), advancing it to the next legislative stage, with final approval subject to the central government.

Rahmat Hidayat Djati, chairman of Commission I of the West Java legislature, said most factions supported moving the proposal forward during a plenary session.

He said the legislature would determine the appropriate mechanism for consolidating the proposal before submitting it to the central government.

"Ultimately, the proposal will require approval from the central government," Djati said.

Besides the proposed name change, the legislature also recommended using names rooted in Sundanese culture for new administrative regions, tourist destinations and public buildings.

"New administrative regions should avoid labels such as west, east, north or south. They should adopt Sundanese names that reflect local culture," Djati said.

Ganjar Kurnia, a professor at Padjadjaran University and a member of the expert team behind the proposal, said the change was historically and culturally justified and would help preserve Sundanese culture.

"Including the name 'Sunda' reflects our determination to strengthen Sundanese identity," Kurnia said, referring to the province's largest ethnic group and Indonesia's second-largest.

Kurnia said the administrative transition could proceed smoothly, citing the successful renaming of South Sulawesi's capital from Ujung Pandang to Makassar.

The West Java provincial administration has received and reviewed the proposal and is awaiting Governor Dedi Mulyadi's direction before taking further steps.