By: Jeremiah Kogoya )*
The people of Papua can now be happy. Palapa Ring Timur which has just been inaugurated is still one of the best communication programs using fiber optic cable. Its presence is expected to be able to support the progress of Papua.
Who doesn’t know the Eastern Palapa Ring mega project, popularly known as “Sky Toll”? The project with the construction of a 13 thousand kilometer fiber optic network that will connect Indonesian territory is expected to free the signal, including even in remote areas. Although the construction was halted due to several obstacles, it has now been inaugurated.
The project itself is divided into three, namely; Palapa Ring West, Central and East. The West and Central Palapa Ring Project has been completed and can be enjoyed 2018 ago. Meanwhile, the eastern Palapa Ring which covers the Papua region is said to have more difficult obstacles than others. Given the many fields that are difficult to penetrate, to have to deploy a number of helicopters to transport construction materials. However, now all can smile satisfied, hard work has paid off and can soon be utilized.
Previously, it was said that the construction of the mega project under the name Palapa Ring turned out to have a deep meaning. According to the Report the naming is based on the Palapa oath from the Gajah Mada. With the sound “As long as I cannot unify the Archipelago, then I will not enjoy Palapa. Before conquering, Seram Island, Desert, Haru, Tanjung Lura, Pahang, Bali, Dompo, Subda, Palembang, and Tumasik I will not taste Palapa”. It is this quote that underlies the tame of the fiber optic cable network project with a similar mission of “Uniting the Archipelago”.
The mission here is not war or about conquering, but uniting all regions in the archipelago through telecommunications networks, the internet. President Jokowi, in his remarks during the inauguration of this project also mentioned that the Palapa Ring is part of the “Sky Toll Road” plan. He stated if the government’s commitment to the Palapa Ring would be useful in economic life, as well as which would unite our country, Indonesia.
A similar statement was also revealed by the Minister of Communication and Information, Rudiantara. According to him, the Palapa ring is like a toll road for super high speed internet built by the government. However, access to exit so that the community can use it also requires the operator’s role. While the meaning of the Ring or “Ring” is technically a network that surrounds Indonesia like a ring that will connect with one another.
Palapa Ring itself is an investment project with a nominal amount that is quite fantastic, namely IDR 5.13 trillion. This project also marks the construction of fiber optic cables throughout Indonesia which reportedly reaches up to 440 districts / cities. Optical cable construction was previously often called ‘cloud toll’, but according to the latest report the elected Vice President Ma’ruf Amin called it the ‘sky toll’.
The benefits of the Palapa Ring development are expected to be able to be a link for local products or MSMEs to the national market network, even to the international market. Including connecting to the national market and global market place, in order to get even greater market share.
The development of this project was also welcomed by the citizens of Papua. Especially in remote areas. Especially for economic access and education. In rural areas, of course, no internet connection will be found. Given the terrain that is difficult to penetrate. However, thanks to this project a number of regions have been able to signal independence. The development of education by utilizing the internet is also expected to be a new chapter for the lives of the people of Papua.
Not only that, for the people of Papua this digitization technology will also open up. the horizon window to get to know the outside world better, develop the tourism sector and increase economic stretch. Because, Papua itself is a region rich in natural resources. So that technology science can later be applied to utilize natural resources more wisely and optimally. What is more important is, improving the quality of human resources there through the internet which will not be timeless.
Hopefully with the inauguration, all of Indonesia will be connected to strengthen, unite and create a better and bigger country. So that it will be able to be respected by the outside world. Even with the term lagging seems to be able to be eliminated soon. Welcome to the era of digitalization which can later be used for positive and wiser activities to take the Indonesian people to the world.
)* The writer is a Papuan student living in Jakarta