Digital transformation is a mustJakarta (ANTARA) - Communication and Informatics Minister Johnny G. Plate stated that cyberspace must provide benefits to Indonesian citizens in the digital era.
"Indonesia is currently undergoing rapid digital transformation. Digital transformation is a must; it exists not only due to technological disruption, but also due to pandemics and geostrategic changes," Minister Plate said on Thursday during the 'Indonesia Digital Outlook 2022: Encouraging The Acceleration of Sustainable Digital Transformation.’
"(It) requires us to turn from physical activity to digital," he added.
The government was currently pursuing the development of the nation’s information and communication technology infrastructure so that everyone could access cyberspace.
"Without IT infrastructure, acceleration (of digital transformation) cannot be attained," he noted.
The ministry had installed as many as 360,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables, both land cables and underwater cables. Yet there was still 12,000 kilometers of fiber optic cables to be connected.
In areas where fiber optic cables cannot reach, the government would instal microwave and fiber links. They were also building two multifunctional satellites, the SATRIA-1 and a backup satellite, each with a capacity of 150GBps.
The ministry expected that the satellite could provide internet access to 150,000 locations at public and government facilities.
Digital transformation was not only limited to physical IT infrastructure, but it also needed to be supported by human resources. Indonesia was projected to require 9 million digital employees with intermediate abilities.
Thus the ministry conducted the National Digital Literacy Movement (GNLD) Siberkreasi program as a means to provide basic digital literacy training. The ministry aims to train 54 million people by 2024.
As for intermediate digital skills, the government has provided the Digital Talent Scholarship scholarship program.
The ministry also organized advanced digital skills programs for policy makers, both in the public and private sectors, through the Digital Leadership Academy.
The minister deemed the presence of sufficient digital staffs with adequate skills as an important factor in Indonesia’s digital transformation.
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Translator: Natisha A, Mecca Yumna
Editor: Sri Haryati
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