Information technology development is somehow always able to change people’s social tendencies from the way they communicate to how they look for information. Without technology, people like to talk to someone in person face to face and interact much more with each other.
Things have gone differently with technology. Most people ignore previous social values, considering that direct communication is inefficient and that leads to a distant social relation. In global, technology also creates inequality in social life. It is because the ownership of electronic devices, without our consciousness, classifies certain people into the lower, middle, or upper social groups.
However, information technology development doesn’t always bring negative impacts to society and the interaction between them. For young people, for example, with the help of information technology, they become more creative and critical generations. The latest information is their daily need. Technology also gives easier access to almost everything.
One province in Indonesia experiencing this growth is West Papua. Communication and information establishments in West Papua are encouraging owing to the massive construction of Base Transceiver Service (BTS) blank spots in some regions. The Ministry of Communication and Information will build BTS infrastructure for Raja Ampat Regency, Arfak Mountains, Bintuni Bay, South Sorong, and Maybrat Regency.
Let’s take a closer look at how West Papua’s information technology development develops.
The Learning Process Is Faster and More Effective
Technology in the educational segment in Sorong, West Papua has now begun to develop. Thanks to that, the learning process in several schools progress faster and more effective. A couple of years ago, getting a reading material is arguably very difficult. Book stores were very much limited, and there were no public libraries with lots of collection.
Students could only count on their teachers or lecturers as the sole source of their learning materials. Unlike now, information technology development has brought many changes to the world of education in Sorong.
The technology’s growth makes it easier for teachers and lecturers to get and explain the material needs to be taught. The learning information becomes broader, more detailed, and in-depth.
Now Merauke Has Digital Library
One of West Papua regency, Merauke, can feel proud now that they have their digital library. Through the Merauke Regency Library and Archives Office, the Merauke Regency government has launched a library application. Merauke regent believes that the presence of technology will bring a significant impact to West Papua people.
This information technology development can turn villages with the rapid flow of information and take those villages to become equal to the world’s globalization. Appropriate and proportional technology implementation could deliver many benefits for the citizens.
The launch of this digital library can show other big cities in Indonesia that the people of Merauke will become a lifelong learning society. With that, West Papuans can contribute to making Indonesia more advanced.
Palapa Ring
The people of West Papua wish that the government’s target of “Indonesia Merdeka Sinyal” or “Free Signal for Indonesia” will be realized. This hope arises because the Palapa Ring—an optical cable infrastructure project that connects the three parts of Indonesia—has been a hundred percent completed.
According to Head of Jayawijaya Kominfo, Isak SF Sawaki, West Papua can pick up a 4G signal. However, the internet speed in this province is still low. When sending messages is mostly fails, the worst thing happens when they try to send pictures.
That is why, through Palapa Ring, our government targets “Indonesia Merdeka Sinyal” so that there will be no gaps in accessing the internet for all citizens all over Nusantara. People of West Papua, of course, feel they are no longer minorities now that they own the same access as other big cities in Indonesia.
E-Government Implementation
In July 2019, The West Papua Provincial Government (Pemprov) conducted a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Papua Provincial Government. The MoU is about the implementation of E-Government and the submission of E-PPR and E-PPA sources.
This MoU brings hope for West Papua Provincial Government in the Information Technology (IT). Government administration will have better facilities and can be computer-based. The public services can run better and faster.
This MoU is part of KPK’s assessment of electronic-based government administration because in West Papua itself is still low. The West Papua government was directed by the KPK to Medan, Yogyakarta, and Surabaya to learn about this E-Government.
As for E-Planning, that will be the next project. For now, the West Papua Provincial Government has only implemented E-Budgeting with the SIMDA application. This kind of convenience will certainly make Papuan no longer feel reluctant to go to public services run by the local government.
Information technology development certainly brings positive and negative impacts. It all depends on how we take advantage of that convenience. Now that West Papua has experienced some significant improvement in information technology, locals can compete equally in global trade.
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