Ministry of Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs: 3,029 villages in Indonesia remain "blank spots" up to this year

Assistant Deputy for Telecommunications and Informatics at the Ministry of Coordinating Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Agus Pandu Purnama, stated that this figure underscores the substantial challenges the government faces in providing equitable internet access, especially in remote and island regions. “These thousands of villages without internet access are not merely a number; they also reflect a real disparity that impacts limitations in educational services, the digital economy, and public access to information,” he said during the Coordination Meeting for Synchronising Blank Spot Handling Programmes across South Kalimantan in Banjarmasin on Wednesday. “This situation positions digital connectivity as the primary foundation of national resilience, making the isolation of villages from internet networks a strategic issue that must be addressed immediately,” he added. He acknowledged that Indonesia’s geographical characteristics as the world’s largest archipelagic nation pose the main obstacle to telecommunications infrastructure development, leading to persistent digital access disparities in various regions. He emphasised that the government continues to promote synergies across ministries, local governments, and telecommunications operators to accelerate network development, including through the utilisation of satellite technology in hard-to-reach areas. “These efforts aim to gradually reduce the number of villages without internet access, while ensuring equitable digital connectivity as the primary prerequisite for inclusive and sustainable development,” Agus Pandu stated.