President Joko Widodo Names New Telecommunications Minister
On July 17, Indonesia's President Joko Widodo appointed Budi Arie Setiadi as the new Minister of Communications and Information Technology. The position had been vacant since May when the previous minister was removed from office. Prior to last month’s appointment, Setiadi served as the Deputy Minister of Villages, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration since 2019.
During the inauguration ceremony, President Jokowi stressed the urgency of swiftly resuming the construction of base transceiver stations (BTS) as a top priority for the new minister to improve 4G internet services in the country's remote areas. An effort to add coverage to nearly 7,900 dead zones in Indonesia’s outermost areas was first announced in 2020 but faced major setbacks, slowing its completion. At the ceremony, President Jokowi also announced plans to establish a specialized task force under the Communication and Informatics Ministry (KOMINFO) focused on handling information and communication technology, artificial intelligence, and satellite technology.