INDONESIA “Information Technology”
Indonesia, with the population 205 million people, consists of some 13,667 islands, six major religions, and more than 300 ethnic groups. Extending telecommunications to all 33 provinces and each of the main islands is a daunting task but one which Indonesia has embraced, particularly as a means of creating national cohesion. The need to provide communications for development and modernisation was recognised more than 20 years ago, with the launch of Indonesia’s domestic satellite, Palapa, in 1976. Many developments have occurred in the intervening years, however, the current economic crisis has added a level of uncertainty to many business and government initiatives. Indonesia’s national information technology infrastructure is being developed by several investors . which calls for all major islands and cities to be linked either by submarine and terrestrial cable or by satellite by the year 2001. Whether this occurs or not will depend largely on how quickly the country’s economy is restored. In particular, the devaluing of the rupiah means that most capital purchases will be delayed. IT subjects are widely taught in schools and universities and an association of more than 100 computer colleges has been found. Information Technology Solution Prices before the economic crisis were on par with countries such as Singapore, but inflation and the devalued rupiah mean that equipment is now much more expensive.