Communication and Informatics Minister: All Regions in Indonesia will be Connected with Internet

Communications and Informatics Minister Rudiantara witnesses Vice Governor Zeth Sahuburua directly open the National Convention of Mass Media accompanied by Chairman of the Press Council and the Chairman of the Committee of the 2017 National Press Day in Baileo Siwalima HPN, Ambon, Maluku, Wednesday (8/2) morning.

Minister of Communications and Informatics Rudiantara said that the infrastructure network construction of fiber optic telecommunications, which will connect all parts of Indonesia in the Internet network will be completed by 2018. “When all infrastructure development is completed, then the public throughout Indonesia will be connected by the internet only via smart phones,” the Minister said at the National Convention of Mass Media under the theme “Integration of National Media in the Communications Landscape, Global: Opportunities and Challenges” in Baileo Siwalima, Ambon, Maluku, Wednesday (8/2) morning.

In an event held as a series of the 2017 National Press Day, the Minister reminded the need to prepare a variety of regulations to regulate the conditions when connecting the entire network infrastructures of the Internet. However, it is expected that there are not many regulations which could result in confusion.

Foreign Internet should be Regulated

Meanwhile, Media Nusantara Citra (MNC) media mogul Harry Tanoesudibyo, who also appeared as a speaker in the convention, said the need to strict restrictions on foreign internet operating in Indonesia.

Harry considered that the presence of foreign Internet networks in Indonesia gives a very serious threat, not only from an economic standpoint, but also the socio-cultural aspects and others. “Foreign Internet could threaten our national stability. From the social aspect, foreign internet has also changed the culture of the nation. We should set the regulations. The state must be present to protect the national interest,” Harry said.

He then mentioned the People’s Republic of China (PRC), in which the local authorities banned the operation of a search engine Google, and at the same time, the Government of PRC also developed a local search engine named Baidu, and it works.

CEO of Baidu Digital Indonesia, Bao Jianlie, who also attended the event, said that Baidu is the first Chinese search engine company that is listed in the top 100 on the Nasdaq Stock Exchange in the United States.

Since last year, according to Jianlie, Baidu has cooperated with the Ministry of Communications and Informatics and sought a local partner to build up its business. “This is my first time I came to Ambon. Upon arrival, I tried an application to find a restaurant in Ambon, I did not find it, but when I used Baidu, I was surprised I found it,” Jianlie said. (AS/ES/AGG) (MUR/YM/Naster).