Jakarta – A politician asks the central government to grant Papuan people requests as long as the easternmost island stays within the Republic.

"The government needs only to spare independence from the Papuans," People Consultative Assembly deputy head Lukman Edy said in a press release as quoted by tribunnews.com.

He said that Papua deserved it due to its huge contribution to the country, including Papuan young talented people in the Indonesian soccer team struggling for gold medal in the SEA Games 2011 such as Oktovianus Maniani, Titus Bonai and Patrich Wanggai. "We love them already," he said.