Transcript Document 7295048

COMMUNITY TELECENTERS AND
PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN
INDONESIA
By:
F.B. Moerwanto
<[email protected]>
Naswil Idris
<[email protected]>
Idris Sulaiman
<[email protected]>
Video Conference, Jakarta - Washington DC:
Improving ICT Access, Sustainability and
Security - the World Bank Office
August 27, 2003
INTRODUCTION


The Maitland Commission’s (1984)
recommendation: “The telephone should be
within easy reach to all” triggered
conceptualization of Telecenters by many
countries and the ITU
Various models to satisfy groups or
communities such as SME, rural
communities, university, schools, health
center, etc.
2
What is Telecenters or BIM
in Indonesia?
Balai Informasi Masyarakat (BIM) is a
(rural) public venue, where information
and telecommunications services are
provided to the public in its vicinity.
3
What is Telecenters or BIM
in Indonesia?
The services rendered are the
conventional telephone and faxes
(facsimile), but also enhanced services
for information handling as deemed
necessary such as electronic mail,
certain
applications
of
data
communication,
even
multimedia
systems to support tele-education, teleconferencing, tele-medicine and others.
4
What is Telecenters or BIM
in Indonesia?
The function of a BIM is also to empower
the local community to participate as
"generator and provider of information",
among others for marketing purposes,
sale of produce and so forth.
5
What is Telecenters or BIM
in Indonesia?
In order to render information and
telecommunications services, the Balai
is also furnished with space and staff for
the purpose of consultations and
training, on subjects relevant to the
community needs.
Source: MASTEL <www.mastel.or.id>
6
Indonesian Facts 1:




Monetary crisis since 1997 still not well
recovered
Indonesia has 86 000 villages, some 43 000
villages (50%) have no telephones (ICT),
and 220 million people
No or low competence in ICT manufacture
1996 plans for Electronic Super Highway, but
not materialized
Current penetration: telephones (fixed) 4 %,
cellular 4 %, internet user 2%
7
Indonesian Facts 2:




90% House hold have no fixed line (let alone PC).
More than 60% Internet Café (Warnet) are in very
small islands of Java and Bali. 40% are at 17,406
islands
Around 300,000 Wartel (Telephone
Café)/Telephone Kiosk - Cyber Window
Around 2,000 Warnet (Internet Café)/Internet Kiosk
<www.natnit.net/warnet>
8
ICT POTENTIAL



To transfer a bulk of information, instantly,
with worldwide coverage,
Provide interconnectivity /
interconnectedness among all.
Infocom is:
– Empowering / educating – enhances
knowledge and skills
– Civilizing - through social contacts develop
social cohesion and intelligence
9
LEARNING FROM OTHERS

Introduction of Telecenters shall be well
planned
– Organization – involving local communities
– Select services according to community
needs
– Technical plan – interconnectivity, power
source
– Technical support for sustainability
– Supervision ( for efficient use of facilities)
– Prepare for future growth
– Financial
10
BACKGROUND


Asymmetric access to infocom results in the
digital divide (within and among nations)
Universal access to ICT to be promoted
Through social contacts, the concepts of
cooperation and collaboration are developed,
Enabling distributed but coordinated activities
Notes:
Avoid misunderstandings and conflicts
11
The digital divide

The digital divide within and among
nations recognized by the Tokyo
Declaration (2003) has been observed
by economists / advocates since the
late 1960s,
e.g. by Gunnar Myrdal in :
Asian Drama (1968),
Against the stream (1973),
Rich and poor nations (Indonesian
translation by Paul Sitohang) (1976)
and many other publications
12
TREND IN THE DEVELOPMENT
OF THE DIVIDE





Asymmetric access to information (which
is empowering / enabling tool)
Disparity in (individual and communities’)
capacities and competencies
Disparity in (sector) growth
Disparity in growth disturbs resources
allocations, but favoring the high growth
Results in enforcing the divide within and
among nations
13
Equitable access to alleviate
the divide attempted:




To education by compulsory education
creating competencies (among advanced
countries since more than 100 years)
No attempts have made to make free
access to technologies, specifically ICTs
Free trade is disadvantageous to developing
countries
Technological dominance spread to
economic dominance even to political
dominance
14
Polarization and Stratification
of the Community



With the divide, the community becomes
polarized and stratified into two poles of
the rich and the poor, the educated and
the uneducated, government and private,
elite and commons….
Alienation by the higher strata in stratified
communities results in the enforcement of
the divide, leaving no way to catch up
Universal access to ICTs is not only social
or political strategy, but also a moral
obligation
15
Imperatives



Universal access to information, including
education
Easier access to technologies and research
findings in all sectors (see Maitland
Commission’s recommendation in the
Missing Link (1984)
Telecenters is one example to reach all
people
16
Problems:






Organizational inability
Initial operation of Telecenters might not be
(commercially) profitable
Lack of skilled support staff
ICT equipments are costly (imported)
Lack of awareness of ICT potentialities
(cultural lag) by rural communities
Lack of credits to SMEs
17
INDONESIA EXPERIENCE:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Initial concepts by various government
departments – various models – but NOT
lasting or in sound operational condition
The (commercial) service - telephony –
Internet - by the private are successful, but
NOT really penetrating the rural/isolated
area and islands
Government has planned Universal
Service Obligation (USO), but remains to
be implemented
Lack of investment capability
18
Case study: 1. Flower Business





In Bandung West Java
<www.bimcihideung.cjb.net>
Locality within flower gardens (SMEs),
telephones available
Services rendered are Internet e-mail, web
browsing, web posting, etc
Facilities have attracted teachers and schools
in the area
Attracted other government agencies (tourism)
For commercial as well as individual uses
Conducted by MASTEL (Indonesia ICT
Association) <www.mastel.or.id>
19
Case study: 2. In Small and Medium
Business Sector


Under PEG & USAID sponsor
<www.pegasus.or.id> there are several
Telecenters for SMEs exporters operated in
Indonesia.
Under Asia Foundation Indonesia & Castle Asia
sponsor <www.castleasia.com> there are
Telecenters in the area of SMEs & E-Commerce
operated in Indonesia.
20
Case study: 3. In Educational Sector




Rural Satellite Project in Eastern Island Under
USAID & Telecom Company created 12
Telecenters at universities in eastern island from
1982-1992
Indonesian Open Learning University
<www.ka.ut.ac.id> used temporary Post Offices
in Bandung, Purwekerto and Padang as
Telecenters Pilot Project for Distance Learning
(also the nearest Warnet as Telecenters).
Indonesian Private University (UPDMB) is using
the nearest Warnet as Telecenters (see next
pictures)
Sekolah 2000 <www.sekolah2000.or.id> using
certain schools as Telecenters.
21
Case study: 3. In Educational Sector
The nearest Warnet/Cyber
Window from universities
can be considered as
Telecenters.
Professor can encourage students to take advantage
of Warnet as compliment to the library (library online)
and class room interaction by using mailing list.
Universitas Prof. Dr. Moestopo Beragama (UPDMB)
22
Case study: 4. In Science &
Technology Sector

Warung Informasi & Teknologi (Warintek)
<www.inn.bppt.go.id> Telecenters in Science &
Technology. In 2002 there were 2.358 units & 4
mobile Warintek
23
Case study: 5. In Government Sector

National Information Agency <www.lin.ri.go.id>
created Telecenters at JIEMI (Jaringan
Informasi Elektronik Masyarakat Indonesia) Electronic Information Networking for
Indonesian Society at 2 Warnet “Planex” in
Bogor <www.planex.com> University of
Agriculture (IPB) in rural area & Banda Aceh as
a pilot project (Distributing/Absorbing
Government Information for rural people
through Warnet).
24
Case study: 6. In Tourism Sector

Bali Online <www.indo.com> created several
Telecenters in the area of tourism (Hotels,
Handicraft and so on).
25
Future plans:




USO (Universal Service Obligation)
implementation (government)
Government Policy on USO still pending
Private participation in ICT provision,
along with districts higher autonomy
Encourage Telecenters upgrading
including for tele-learning, tele-health,
on-line shopping and other applications
through the Internet
26
Thank You
for your attention
F.B. Moerwanto
<[email protected]>
Naswil Idris
<[email protected]>
Idris Sulaiman
<[email protected]>
27