KPTDP discusses digital government progress with Tony Blair

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Chairman of the Digital Government Transformation Acceleration Committee (KPTDP) Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan held a meeting with former UK Prime Minister and Executive Chairman of the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) Tony Blair to discuss the development of digital government at the National Energy Council (DEN) office on Monday. Luhut stated that digitalisation combined with the application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) aids integration across various sectors and provides solutions to problems on the ground. With the implementation of digital public infrastructure (DPI) as the foundation of fundamental technology systems, it is believed to provide easier access to public services, one application of which is the Social Protection system (Perlinsos). The meeting also discussed efforts to accelerate bureaucratic digitalisation to support improvements in the quality of public services. In recent years, Indonesia has built important foundations that provide strategic direction for Digital Government. These efforts represent a fundamental change in governance, how policies are formulated, how services are delivered, and how the state interacts with society. Achieving public welfare is the highest performance target of the government (Human-Centered Design in Government). It was conveyed that through digital government, the state is present in a simpler, faster, and more trustworthy manner. It is not merely about modernising systems, but transforming the public service experience. KPTDP has implemented a pilot project for the digitalisation of social assistance in Banyuwangi Regency and is preparing to expand implementation to 42 districts/cities, with the addition of Batam City and Bali Province. The implementation has provided important lessons regarding the acceleration of processes and strengthening transparency in the distribution of social assistance. It is hoped that collaboration with Tony Blair and his team can increase the scale of AI application in the fields of social protection, health, education, and business financing. Additionally, there will be a strengthening of AI governance for security, accountability, and data protection compliance. The collaboration is also expected to target capacity building for local government officials regarding digitalisation, ethics, and security. ‘Our focus is on a safe and trustworthy digital ecosystem for the community and the drafting of a forthcoming presidential regulation to formalise the digital government framework. Because AI plays a vital role in analysing data from digital identities, improving efficiency, and optimising tax revenues,’ Luhut said. ‘The most important part of digital government is how the technology is applied. I think Indonesia already has that, where I heard earlier that administrative service processes have been cut from what used to be quite a long time to just a few days,’ said Tony. He said that the implementation of streamlined services in Indonesia is very good, considering Indonesia is not a small country, and this is not an easy feat. However, with collaboration from various elements, the digitalisation implemented can run well. He also noted that human resources must possess strong digital skills and a digital mindset to support the success of digital transformation. His party is open to assisting Indonesia in various sectors, including digitalisation. ‘Integration between government programmes must be carried out, and most importantly, the team involved must be educated and have a digital mindset,’ he said. Meanwhile, Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform Rini Widyantini stated that digital government transformation and development data governance are crucial and must be supported by the utilisation of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), which serves as the backbone of various government services. DPI consists of digital identity, data exchange, and digital payments, maintained in line with the principles of personal data protection and cyber security. She explained that the digital transformation of social protection integrates Digital Identity, trusted data exchange, digital payments, and the Social Protection Portal into a single integrated service flow. The goal is not merely to digitise existing processes, but to fundamentally redesign service delivery to be simpler, more transparent, accountable, and better targeted. According to her, all efforts made by various parties are not just about the digitalisation of social assistance, but serve as the basis for a more integrated, transparent, and citizen-centric social protection system. The most important part is ensuring that these lessons are realised in sustainable national implementation through appropriate policies, effective governance, and strong institutional collaboration, supported by dedicated strategies and institutions to guarantee the sustainability of the digital transformation. ‘We very much welcome the involvement of global partners, including TBI, in this effort. Your long-proven leadership in public sector reform and digital transformation has inspired many countries, including Indonesia. Your support so far for Indonesia’s digital transformation will be invaluable,’ Rini said.