Locating RI position in ICT competition

Minister of Industry Andung A. Nitimihardja (right) tries the MapKing, a technology using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to help navigate users through Jakarta's streets, at an exhibition titled "Potential of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Industry".

The exhibition in the industry ministry building was opened on Monday and will continue through Wednesday. Fifty-three exhibitors -- software makers, animation firms and universities -- are participating in the event.

"ICT is one of the sectors that have been prioritized by the state. As the ICT industry has been growing very rapidly, the government must focus on developing the industry's infrastructure and human resources," Andung told reporters.

According to the minister, the current local market for ICT stands at around US$1.3 billion, with an annual growth rate of 9.8 percent last year, which is expected to increase by 22.1 percent this year.

He added that the global market reached $533 billion last year, with annual average growth of 6.9 percent, while the Asian market stood at $42 billion with an average expansion rate of 23 percent per year. --JP