Ministry Takes Along University, Microsoft to Build Smart City

Yogyakarta (Antara Bali) - The Ministry of Internal Affairs will be collaborating with the Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and Microsoft to apply information and communication technology (ICT) to set up a smart city in Indonesia.

The cooperation was established through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Minister of Internal Affairs, Tjahjo Kumolo, the Deputy Rector of UGM, Paripurna Sugarda, and the President Director of Microsoft Indonesia, Andreas Diantoro. The MoU was signed in Yogyakarta on Wednesday.

"The smart city concept should be developed in order to provide fast, transparent and better services to all people," Tjahjo Kumolo said.

According to him, the idea of smart city based on ICT was necessary to face global competition.

"We are expecting that by mid-2017, all local governments would have applied the concept," he predicted.

Tjahjo noted that of 538 cities/districts in Indonesia, not a single local government has optimally implemented the concept.

However, several cities such as Jakarta, Bandung (West Java) and Surabaya (East Java) have become the reference for other regions to implement the smart city concept.

This concept, according to the minister, will provide immense opportunities to all the people to participate in the decision making process, including budget planning, development planning and formulating draft bills.

The concept also facilitates the governments, academicians, businesses and communities to ensure synergy and work together in order to achieve local and national development.

The President Director of Microsoft Indonesia, Andreas Diantoro, claimed that such cooperation is line with the companys mission to empower the people.

The implementation of smart city concept, according to him, carries an international standard of ISO 180021, covering governance, social and environment managements. (WDY)