October 2023 marks the ninth year of President Joko Widodo's administration. In commemoration, the Ministry of Communications and Informatics (MCI) organized Forum Merdeka Barat 9 (FMB9) on the "Launch of the 2023 Performance Report."

The event on Tuesday, 24 October 2023, featured three speakers to discuss the government's performance over the past year. These speakers were Moeldoko, the Head of the Presidential Staff; Budi Arie Setiadi, the Minister of Communications and Informatics; and Lalu Muhammad Iqbal, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson.

Five Main Foundations

As the main speaker, Moeldoko spoke about Indonesia's recovery from the economic crisis caused by the pandemic. He stated that this was a challenging feat.

Like many other countries, Indonesia was confronted with the lingering effects of the pandemic. At the same time, the uncertain global geopolitical situation added to the situation's complexity.

During this period, Indonesia implemented several strategies based on the spirit of mutual cooperation and strong leadership. The first strategy was the careful handling of pandemic remnants. The government exerted every effort to mitigate the lingering health and economic impacts.

Secondly, the government efficiently provided social assistance to alleviate hunger and provide essential support to individuals impacted by the economy.

Thirdly, the government maintained the roles of the cooperative, micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) and corporations in economic recovery. The government was obligated to ensure that none of these business entities failed due to the crisis.

From a budget perspective, the government performed budget reallocations. "Budget reallocation was implemented in conjunction with the 'gas and brake' tactic," Moeldoko said.

Having successfully navigated the crisis, Indonesia is looking towards the Advanced Indonesia 2045 Vision. Moeldoko explained that the government has prepared five main foundations to achieve this vision. The first foundation is human resource development (SDM), as high-quality human resources are essential for a nation's progress.

The second is infrastructure development. Moeldoko stated that infrastructure development is vital to drive economic growth and equal development.

The third is bureaucratic reform. An effective and efficient bureaucracy is expected to provide better public services.

The fourth is a regulatory improvement. Moeldoko stated that regulations that discourage investment would impede economic growth. The final foundation is economic transformation. Moeldoko explained that economic transformation is vital to enhancing Indonesia's competitiveness in the era of globalization.

The government is also endeavoring to promote sustainable economic growth, including through industrial downstreaming and the development of a green economy.

Connectivity

Another aspect that concerns the government in achieving its vision is connectivity, especially in the internet network sector. "Capacity, coverage, and quality are the three facets of connectivity that must be taken into account," said Minister of Communications and Informatics Budi Arie Setiadi.

In terms of capacity, Indonesia still lags behind other countries. The average internet speed in Indonesia is still around 22 megabits per second (Mbps). In terms of coverage, internet penetration in Indonesia has only reached 78 percent.

This means that 22 percent of the Indonesian population still lacks internet access, especially in frontier, outermost, and disadvantaged areas (3T).

Indonesia also needs to improve its internet quality. Many areas in Indonesia experience internet signal disruptions, especially in mountainous and aquatic regions. "The quality is okay in the cities, however there is still much that needs to be improved in rural areas," he added.

Back to the Map

It is interesting to highlight the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Lalu Muhammad Iqbal’s comment. According to him, Indonesia is playing a significant role on the international stage in 2023. This role is evident in various forums such as the G20 and ASEAN, and being elected as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.

Referring to this, Muhammad Iqbal concluded that the phrase "back to the map" is fitting to describe Indonesia's resurgence on the international stage, as it holds deep significance. "After the reform era, Indonesia went through a period of decline and lost the trust of the international community. However, in the past ten years, Indonesia has demonstrated remarkable revival," said Iqbal.

Indonesia adheres to clear principles in its foreign policy. It prioritizes being a part of the solution rather than the problem on the world stage. As a result, he is optimistic that Indonesia will continue to be a leader in the region and on the global stage in the future.

Writer: Dwitri Waluyo
Editors: Ratna Nuraini/Elvira Inda Sari/Siti Chodijah
Translator: Irvina Falah