Muhammad Abud Musa'ad (born 22 July 1965) is an Indonesian academic and bureaucrat who is serving as the Acting Governor of Southwest Papua since 9 December 2022.

His father, Abud Musa'ad, was of Arab descent and owned a construction agency in Geser, Seram Island,[1] while his mother originated from Fakfak.

[2] Musa'ad's Arab ancestor had arrived in Fakfak from at least the 1800s (and later intermarried as well as assimilated into the Papuan native Muslim population, Arabs were invited from Maluku islands to become religious teachers and formed part of the aristocracy but some also migrated as traders) and contributed to the development of the region.

[5] Musa'ad returned to Irian Jaya four years later and joined Cenderawasih University as a lecturer in the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences.

Despite the argument of one of the tribal chiefs in the assembly that Musa'ad is an ethnic Papuan due to another clause which is the acceptance by the local customary community, he was rejected by other members.

Chaos ensued in the following days, with his supporters attacking the General Elections Commission as well threatening to burn down the assembly's office.

Musa'ad spent about a week visiting mosques and meeting with Muslim local figures in Papua in order to find a suitable replacement for himself.

[4] Musa'ad's former running mate, Lukas Enembe, became the Governor of Papua in April 2013 after winning the gubernatorial election.

The West Papuan People's Assembly submitted seven candidates for the acting governor of Southwest Papua to the ministry of home affairs.

[25] The central government's choice for the post was criticized by Mananwir Paul Fincen Mayor, a leader from Doberay customary region, who questioned his indigenous Papuan status.