DETIKNAS building Indonesia’s ICT infrastructure from the top down

The number of internet users in Indonesia reached 73 million in early 2015. This is equal to approximately 29 percent of the country’s population. By 2018, Indonesia could become the world’s fifth biggest internet population with 123 million users, says research firm eMarketer.

The foundation of this internet user growth is the country’s Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure, which is steadily expanding and strengthening throughout the vast archipelago.

Detiknas, Indonesia’s National ICT Council, has the task of coordinating and supporting the growth of the country’s ICT. Salaam Gateway speaks to the Head of the Council’s Working Committee, Ilham Habibie.

Salaam Gateway: What is the remit of the National ICT Council, what are its aims?

Ilham Habibie: The final goal for the National ICT Council, or Detiknas as it is called, is to assist in the transformation of Indonesia to becoming an economy based on knowledge and innovation. The Council’s remit and aims are as follows: 

1. Formulate public policy and strategic direction for national development, through better use of ICT;

2. Study, evaluate and give input to ascertain the finalization of strategic steps that occur in the context of the development of ICT; 

3. Coordinate on the national level between central/local government, state/province-owned enterprises, business sector, professional organizations and the ICT community, as well empowering society (at large); and 4. Giving approval to the execution of ICT programs that are cross-departmental so that they are effective and efficient.

To address these chokeholds (and other challenges), Detiknas works to support the building of six key ICT sectors and areas of focus: 1. Infrastructure; 2.  Industry; 3.  Education; 4. Health; 5. Economics, with special focus on SME empowering; 6. Government (internal and interface with citizens, laws and regulations, incentives etc.)

Salaam Gateway: What types of multi-stakeholder partnerships are in place and how have they contributed to the development of the country’s ICT?

Ilham Habibie: The National ICT Council (on the working team level) is by definition already a multi-stakeholder organisation. All types of stakeholders are represented, i.e. academia, business, communities and government (ABCG – quadruple helix type organisation).

The private sector has definitely contributed well to the development of ICT in Indonesia. However, this is of course limited to whenever that is commercially feasible.

The task of the government is to establish ICT to the benefit of all Indonesians, in as equal a manner as possible. Whenever commercialisation is not possible, the government should step in and provide in a non-commercial manner (read: USO funds or other schemes).

Salaam Gateway: How have foreign investors and businesses factored in the development of Indonesia’s ICT?

Ilham Habibie: The telecom sector has been open for foreign investors for some time. The second and third largest companies are majority-owned by foreign companies. These companies are now also delivering other types of ICT products and services, i.e. data, ICT-infrastructure (fixed, wireless, data center, cloud etc.) and applications.

Salaam Gateway: What other areas are open to foreign expertise and capital to push forward Indonesia’s ICT?

Ilham Habibie: Indonesia’s citizens are in many ways very digitally active. As an example, as users of popular applications such as Facebook, Twitter – just to name a few – Indonesia is within the top five users globally.

However, this kind of activity is more of a consumptive kind, instead of productive use. All types of applications that would be used by Indonesia’s 250+ million (potential) digital citizens are areas where foreign expertise and also capital could play a role.

As an example this would include e-commerce, e-logistics, e-money, all in the trade and business arena. Other applications would be more about responding to the need of Indonesia’s growing manufacturing sector, for research & development in general, e.g. simulation, construction, etc.

Salaam Gateway: The stereotypical characterisation of an “emerging nation” or “developing nation” digital user is as follower of global trends that originate primarily from richer nations such as the U.S. and Japan. Is this a fair assessment of Indonesia? Where does Indonesia lead and is there something(s) uniquely Indonesian that could potentially be world-leading/beating?

Ilham Habibie: Indonesians from an ICT perspective are world class when in comes to being creative in visualization. Unfortunately, that ability has not evolved in any significant corporate development yet.

ABOUT DETIKNAS, INDONESIA’S ICT COUNCIL

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