State-owned telecommunication giant PT Telekomunikasi Indonesia (Telkom) should expedite business transformation to support the reinforcement of data sovereignty in the nation, House of Representatives' member Evita Nursanty stated.
"Telkom must be the vanguard for data sovereignty. We (the House) support this," Nursanty said in a statement that ANTARA received in Jakarta on Thursday.
Data sovereignty in Indonesia was less independent in managing data and information, both in government and business activities. In fact, several parties in the country yet depend on foreign-made digital technology, she said.
"During the COVID-19 pandemic, we are inclining to rely on digital platforms, digital services, and data centers from abroad. It is very concerning because it means we have not yet had that data sovereignty. We are exposed. It is threatening," Nursanty pointed out.
Citing an example, Nursanty explained that closed-door meetings at the House of Representatives, ministries, institutions, and private companies, which are held virtually, are not safe from the risks of data leakage and hacking.
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"We thought that the meeting was closed-door, but it was exposed to risks. This applies to meetings at ministries, agencies, or the House. We have reminded since the start that we should be able to develop our own meeting application. We should build our own data center and have strict regulations to utilize data centers in Indonesia," Nursanty emphasized.
She insisted that if the Personal Data Protection Law were to be passed, it may not be optimally effective owing to several shortcomings in technology and supporting infrastructure.
Hence, Nursanty is optimistic of encouraging Telkom Indonesia to quickly transform its business, not only through expanding its connectivity but also by developing digital platforms and digital services as the two services remain dominated by foreign entrepreneurs.
"Data center and cloud computing are all competing. Telkom should also become a pioneer in developing digital services that suit the needs of the community and not only the Over the Top (OTT) services," she emphasized.
To this end, Telkom should prepare human resources that are experts in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and facilitate the development of digital talent in Indonesia, Nursanty stated.
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Editor : Mahdani
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