Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs emphasises that connectivity must drive growth and security
The government currently still has homework to expand national connectivity. Currently, it is recorded that around 80 percent of the population or around 230 million Indonesian residents are connected to digital services.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs (Menkomdigi) Meutya Hafid emphasised that the development of connectivity in Indonesia must be able to drive growth while ensuring the safety of the community.
Meutya said that the government currently still has homework to expand national connectivity. Currently, it is recorded that around 80 percent of the population or around 230 million Indonesian residents are connected to digital services.
“Our desire is how to ensure that 280 million Indonesian citizens can be connected, not only in areas close to Java Island but in various regions from Sabang to Merauke, to Rote Island, to Miangas,” said Meutya at the operational inauguration of the Nusantara Five Satellite in South Jakarta on Monday.
She said that the government is promoting a concept of three pillars for the direction of national digital development, namely connected, growing, and protected.
According to Meutya, connectivity development is not enough just to provide internet access, but it must also be able to create economic growth and improve the quality of life of the community.
“There is no connectivity development that needs to be done if it does not lead to growth. This growth is human growth, economic growth, and growth of things that certainly lead to goodness,” she said.
In addition to growth, Meutya emphasised that the government is also paying attention to aspects of security and protection of the community in the digital space.
She assessed that connectivity can cause negative impacts if not accompanied by efforts to keep the digital space safe.
Meutya gave examples of various digital threats such as child sexual exploitation to radicalisation through online games that need to be anticipated together.
“There is no connectivity that needs to be fought for if we cannot protect it, because connectivity can actually lead to harm if we do not protect it,” she stated.
On that occasion, Meutya also appreciated the operational inauguration of the Nusantara 5 Satellite, which is said to be one of the largest capacity satellites in Asia.
She hopes that the presence of the satellite can support connectivity, digital economic growth, as well as maintain Indonesia’s digital sovereignty, including in the outermost regions.
According to her, the development of the national digital and space ecosystem requires courage, innovation, and close collaboration between the government and industry.
“If we follow the steps of President Prabowo who always wants Indonesia to be present in various contexts on the international stage, it turns out that in space we are also present. So not only in geopolitics that we see currently but in space we are also present,” said Meutya.