AIBP ASEAN B2B Growth

Jabar Digital Services : How West Java is Paving the Way for Smart Villages?

AIBP Episode 44

In this episode, Pak Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Department for the West Java Provincial Government in Indonesia, discusses the winning project from the AIBP Tech for ESG Awards. The project, led by Jabar Digital Services under the initiative of the West Java Communications and Informatics Agency, is part of the Desa Digital program, which aims to transform villages into 'Champion Villages' through digital innovation. This initiative is specifically designed to bridge the digital divide across the West Java Province

West Java is one of the largest provinces in Indonesia. With an area of 35 thousand square kilometers, there are 5,312 villages in West Java Province. 

AIBP Intro:

The AIBP ASEAN B2B growth podcast is a series of fireside chats with business leaders in Southeast Asia focused on growth in the region. Topics discussed include business strategy, sales and marketing, enterprise technology and innovation.

Valerie Tan:

hello and welcome to this episode of the AIBP ASEAN B2B growth podcast featuring Pak Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, the Secretary of the Information and Communication Technology ICT department of West Java. He was also previously the head of Java digital service in the period of July 2019 to march 2022 and has become one of the figures who helped initiate and develop ecosystem data Java edj as an accessible data portal for the government of West Java and the citizens so West Java ICT department, was one of the winners for the 2023 ASEAN tech for ESG environmental social governance awards with their submission on empowering West Java's rural communities the DESA Digital Initiative. So this initiative actually serves to achieve digital inclusion for the region, and had a four stage approach, including infrastructure development, digital literacy, digital marketing and IoT applications for the region. And without further ado, we'd like to introduce Park Agi to give himself a brief introduction, as well as about Java Digital Service and the ICT department of West Java.

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

All right. First of all, my name is Agi Agung Galuh Purwa. Nowadays, I'm the secretary of ICT department of West Java province Indonesia. The ICTdepartment focuses on the development of West Java as a digital province, responsible for formulating policies and implementing governance duties in the field of communication and informatics affairs. We also have special allies, unit to drive digital transformation in West Java. We which is called Java digital service. The unit has many vision to narrow the digital divide, improving efficiency and accuracy of policy making based on data and technology, as well as to refuel, revolutionize the use of tech among West Jabal government and citizen sin is establishment in 2019 more than 100 products and projects have been created so far, and Bucha have been formed with the 169 MPs with this unit. That's the explanation about our department.

Valerie Tan:

And you know, maybe you can dive a little bit into some of your main responsibilities as secretary of the ICT department of West Java, if you mean.

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

Alright, the main responsibilities for the ICT department focus is the development of West digital provisions, like I mentioned before, especially providing ICT infrastructure for the whole department of West Yapa province, and reducing Digital divide between municipalities all across West Japan and increasing the level of our digital literacy, which nowadays still in a medium level. And it's really big challenge for us to do that, considering we are the biggest population in Indonesia. For almost 50 million population, it's 20% of Indonesian population. So that's our main responsibilities.

Valerie Tan:

And you know, we're such a big population, the Java digital service as well as the West Java ICT department actually seeks to narrow the digital gap within the region as well. So how has data and technology actually supported policy making or change the way policies are made in the region. All right, so we built an end to end data management system that is integrated with 27 agencies and cities all across West Java and through the system, each of civil servants, all of us, could share and use up to date and standardized data. And we also have a special executive dashboard for policy makers, our leaders at the strategic level, therefore they can see the data analysis in the form of data visualization that have been processed by the our team, especially the health service team. And on the other hand, we are also open to data from external sources. For example, when we first implemented the development of internet infrastructure. Structure in blank spot villages, we utilize data from the Village Development Index, which provided by the Ministry of village to determine the number of blank spots village all across West japa. This data was used for mapping and implementing internet infrastructure and development as well. And you know, you mentioned that you use both data from external sources as well, and you know, with the volume of the usage of data as well as the services that you're offering, how do you ensure that you know the data collected as well as process are being kept secure and that your services are of higher security with minimum downtime, minimum privacy breaches for the people of the West Java province.

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

Alright, actually, we implemented ISO to 27 and 27,001 regarding information security management system for our whole system, then for the digital product, especially for ecosystem data, Java, we already got ISO for 2001 for IP service management system. So yeah, we implement ISO for our digital product. And in addition, for minimum down time. We implement hike availability ha for several critical digital product including ecosystem data developer, to make sure our services are always available. We collaborate with many stakeholders as well, if our resources are not enough to fulfill the need by our own. So that's our strategy so far.

Valerie Tan:

How about, in terms of technology wise, how you provide, prioritizing the different types of technology that you're using within the Digital Service.

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

Actually, regarding the technology, we can see that we we are using term technologically agnostic. We are not really see the brand, I mean, the mainstream thing. As long as the technology could give benefit for our society and it's good enough for us, we will use it. There's always pros and cons regarding the the tools of the technology that we are using, but as long as the beneficiaries is good for for us, internally, for our developers and also continue and for our citizen, for using it we are using this technology.

Valerie Tan:

And you know, how do you measure, say, for example, success of adopting a specific technology, of adopting a specific project or process? What are some of the matrix that you look at to decide whether or determine whether it is a successful it is beneficial, or if it's a good outcome for the digital service.

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

All right, the the first indicators to measure, but the successfulness of our our especially digital product, is our user, if our user happy for using it and give real beneficiaries for our society, for citizen, it means that we are in the good track. But when it's not really convenient, or it's not sweet with our expectation, we need to re evaluate. We need to make kind of evaluation process again. And therefore innovation should be the leading point for our products and program. And it's always, it's always a continuous progress. So there's no what you call it. Yeah, we need to be open minded, and we need to create a following it again and again to make sure about the citizen satisfaction.

Valerie Tan:

Where do you see future opportunities to shape the strategic direction in terms of technology adoption within the organization?

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

All right, regarding this, we see that the opportunity for sustainable the investment in technology for societies, the ability to create innovative solution that can improve the improve the quality of life while paying attention to environmental impacts. And this investment can. Use environmentally friendly technology, such as for nowadays, renewable energy, sustainable transportation and efficient agricultural technology is one of the many examples of that. So that's the thing that we could explain,

Valerie Tan:

Understand, and you mentioned a little bit about agriculture technology, transportation technology, some things that you can explore. So for example, for current technology innovations that are driving positive change in rural areas, what are some of the key areas technology that was involved in, say, programs like desert digital, which is submitted for the awards, and even the EDG, which was developed,

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

yeah for for the one of the programs that we offer for poverty is uh, over being through ADP, is this digital, and for This digital, we especially the main point why we are implementing visa Digital First, because in westia Ho we are really diverse. We are not really, I mean, for the population itself, we are not only living in the urban level, but also in the rural variable. So we need to approach them as well the rural citizen. And the first step that we implement for this idea cloud is to reduce the blank spot so it's not only using technology to improve their I others condition, the first thing is to make sure that there is internet in that area, because we still have blank spots. So before provided blanks, I mean internet connection in those blank spot area all across West Java and also the second step after there, there is internet in this particular area, we give them Digital Literacy, how to use internet productively to enable people to get better understand how to use digital technology in everyday life, and also give productive activities in terms of economy to improve their life as well. And also we collaborate with many staff up, for example, with the farmers, with the cultivators to adopt digital technology to optimize their businesses, and based on the data that we already gather, we see that there is increased work efficiency has been seen in those beneficiaries, such as farmers and the physical defectors, who have been able to increase their productivity and production output, and also their increase in market access and in income growth for beneficiaries as well, such as for farmers, photographers, and Also it's reducing the number of underdeveloped village category in West Java. So that's the main point why we have data digital program for digital tillage program.

Valerie Tan:

Thank you very much for the comprehensive overview. I'd like to dive a bit deeper into the two main parts that you mentioned right? The first part, the first step, actually, is to reduce blank spots in terms of connectivity. You know, what are some of the partners that you working with? Because, for example, in Indonesia, you have different telco providers who are providing connectivity. Are you working with any specific partners, or you're exploring different options or different types of technology to be able to, you know, reach the rural areas. Because I understand in Indonesia, the rural areas are very wide binging in terms of geography area.

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

Yeah, actually, for reducing blind spot, we we do. Ho several programs. The first program we collaborate with internet service provider as well, because we propose them to do corporate social responsibility. They are not only making money only, but they should share their profit to give them for society as well, especially in those blank spot area. And also we collaborate the local medium enterprise in village level. So the medium interface should collaborate with internet service provider to give the services, Internet services for the society in a good price as well, because village is different with the Urban so the causes should be suitable for people in the villages, and also there's a lot of regulation, especially from the central government, to accelerate the level of internal penetration between the area, not only in West Europe actually, but also all across Indonesia. And based on the regulation from the central government, it encouraged many stakeholders, they are, including internet service providers, to hand hand in hand with us with the ducks to solve the blanks for ARIA University. Of actually, we have target that within this year there is no blanks for ARIA University, ARPA, particularly, particularly in the in the village office, because in Indonesia, the village office is kind of like Central activities for the villagers to do a lot of things. And we see that if the office in the village already connected with the internet is really convenient for them to try to know how to use internet, to how to make kind of a connection with internet, With productive way. So, so that's our strategic actually, to reduce the blank spot area within West Java area.

Valerie Tan:

And you know, for the second part on digital literacy for the people within West Java itself, because different levels of digital literacy will require different levels of support. You mentioned some of them make use of the village office as well. So access digital service, say, for example, in terms of you mentioned a few different areas that you're looking at right, like farming all the way to agriculture as well. Are there specific programs or initiatives in terms of your, maybe your digital products or digital programs that have supported the various industries, or could you highlight maybe an outstanding project in that regard?

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

Yeah, actually, for, for, for, like, the the specific substance that we want to introduce for our village, villagers, for our citizen, is Based on their characteristic, based on their the main the is based on the potential of the area, for example, in based on data that that we get up so far, like 70% of villagers, village in University of ice belongs to agricultural activities. So therefore, for the those 70% villagers, we propose for like using IC, I mean IoT technology for for their agricultural activities, and then some of the area, if the main potential of in that area is about histories. We introduced the IoT for the. The fishery, how to make I mean, how to introduce Asian way to giving food for the fish, for example. And based on those two approach, the villagers could see the difference between conventional approach and then and the technological approach. And when the technological approach much more convenient, much more profitable, they really want to continue the program. They want to implement this kind of initiative, because the most important factors for grass root level is the economics beneficiaries, as long as it's really profitable, as long as is give a lot of beneficiaries in terms of economy, it will sustain the program, yeah, all right. Actually, in Indonesia, we have a lot of unicorn especially for the E commerce, and then we collaborate with them as well. So for example, when we have, like, really good product in village level, we make digital marketing approach digital literacy in terms of digital marketing, for for those entities to know how, for using the E commerce so they can chip in, they can contribute to Join in E commerce. And also we really lucky that most of E commerce in Indonesia, they are not only marketing their products, but but also they they have like, yeah, kind of corporate social responsibility program, how to empower the citizen, especially in the local level, in the village level, how to use the E commerce efficiently, and somehow it helps, because it will open new opportunities for them, if we will open up the market as well, because from the E commerce, it's become really mainstream. We are all using it, and when they chip in, as long as the product is good, I think it will give huge benefit. And actually, we already have a lot of best practices, and, like, good example of this. So yeah, that's the strategy that we implement here in western aggregated debt. So yeah, we will get a lot of collaboration, especially years ago, we met, collaborating with one of the Singaporean entities as well, penga Bindu, blank spot area. So we integrated all the services that we have into one website called Jabar, prop.go.id, and because nowadays we are in the situation of digital mind kit. We need apps as well, right? Because most of us we are using mobile phone. So, yeah, I think it's typical of Asian. I mean, most of us really confident we need mobile phone comparing with the laptop. So we have special apps as well, super apps called SAPA Varga. So through SAPA Varga, we want to integrate it all the services that we have through one apps, yeah. So that's the ambitious goals that we want to achieve, to make easiest way for us, for the government, to manage the the one big super app to integrate all the all the services and also the portal as well. So that's the strategy that we already implemented this day. Because. Being the digitalization and our approach, I think it's not really new, considering, based on the best practice all around the globe, I think we can see from the government digital service in the UK, they already integrated all the services to one portal called gov.uk so we we do the same way with them. And also for the online services we could see from the Estonia, they already make kind of integrated online services for for for the citizen. And we do learn from, from, from, from the as well. And in Singapore, you guys have growth tech as well. And Indonesia there, there is brand new growth tech as well within this year. And I do believe with those kind of best practices, and also the central government already noticed about the importance of digitalization. The progress of SGR digitalization will be run smoothly because it's in line with the central government as well.

Valerie Tan:

What are some of the technology advancements that you see that can shape the future of, you know, rural engagement as well as inclusion. Say, for example, nowadays there's things like AI, there's things like different types of technology that's gaining, I think, food ho as well. And you see a lot of different startups in Indonesia. They're actually engaging in those kind of new technology. Also, what are some of the opportunities that you see that can be potentially applied to actually further your mission of providing better services for the people of West Java.

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

All right, especially, I will make it into two kind of categories. The first one for the rural level, I think it's still in the basics, as long as it's give the real beneficiaries, I mean in term of economy, I think it will suit them within the rural level, because in the rural level, the most important point is the the beneficiaries, the real beneficiaries, and it's supposed to be economic. So that's the first category, and the second category for the urban Yeah, I think it's really dynamic, considering we do believe that this kind of rocket science technology, I mean, the AI, the blockchain, etc, is really help us. For example, nowadays we are using AI to manage our regulation draft drafting as well, because it's much more convenient if we have like machine that have helped us to make conclusion regarding a lot of regulation that we have and and it's really help us to make the drafting, because we got being the regulation, and also because the securities kind of big matters for for us. And nowadays we have, like, the blockchain technology. And yeah, we learn blockchain technology in terms of how we improve our level of the cyber security within our department, and also the the the fear flows like what you call it for, for third floor reality, the segments are yeah for yes for the virtual reality. I think somehow it really helped us to make kind of visualization if we want to make like a strategic infrastructure project and to make really comprehensive presentation for for for our leaders or for the society, because for using this technology. It's really uh, close to the the reality, right? So, yeah, somehow, yeah, it Ho, it helped us and we embrace the those new technologies to. To help us to make the efficient way of our works for the betterment of our work here. And

Valerie Tan:

I think, before we end off the podcast, you know, would you like to round up with some of your thoughts or future aspirations for the region of West Java and perhaps for Indonesia as well?

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

Yeah, all right. The thing is, the digital vision that we already implemented this far actually the essence of our digitalization is to make simplification, to make the easiest way for citizen to reach us, for citizen to improve their economic condition, mainly and improving there will be, in general, like, easier way to access the health services, the education, etc. That's the first point, and then the second point to make easier way for the government institution as well, because if we integrated all the services into one portal and one application, it's really convenient for us to handle the apps and the portal, because it's Only one comparing we manage like hundreds apps. Hundreds is really challenging for doing that. So that's that's the essence of digitalization in West Java, to make the simplification for citizen and also for us, for the government institution.

Valerie Tan:

Thank you very much. And with that, we come to the end of the podcast recording once again. Thank you very much for being the first podcast guest for 2024 for AIBP this year. And we look forward to, you know, featuring more of what West Java, as well as what the ICT department of West Java is doing in the near future as well. All

Agi Agung Galuh Purwa, Secretary of ICT, West Java Province:

right. Our pleasure. Thank you.

AIBP Intro:

We hope you've enjoyed the episode. For more information about business growth in the ASEAN region, please visit our website, www.IoTbusiness-platform.com.