Photo caption: Deputy Minister of Villages, Disadvantages Regions and Transmigration (center) and Rector of Tanjungpura University Prof. Garuda Wiko (far left), Chairman of House of Representatives Commission V Lasarus (second from left), Governor of West Kalimantan Sutarmidji (second from right) Telkom Regional VI DEVP D. Hartanto (far right) posed for a photo during the recent launch of Smart KKN Digital program.

Jakarta, 1 November 2021 – On the ocassion of the annnual Youth Pledge Day on 28 October, PT Telkom Indonesia (Persero) Tbk (Telkom) and Tanjungpura University Pontianak (Untan) collaborated to launch the Smart KKN Digital program - Smart Village Tanjungpura. This is a pentahelix collaboration of compulsary community work (KKN) manifested in assistance program to establish independent villages by students who takes part in the Independent Learning, Independent Campus (MBKM) program through the application of village digitization (Smart Government, Smart Society, Smart Economy). Deputy Minister of Villages, Disadvantages Regions and Transmigration (PDTT), Chairman of House of Representatives Commission V, Telkom Regional VI Deputy Executive Vice President, Governor of West Kalimantan, Rector of Untan, Regent of Sambas, Regent of Kapuas Hulu, Regent of Kubu Raya, Chairman of the Indonesian Village Government Association (APDESI), village heads, students participating in the MBKM program, and other invitees were present at the launch.

PDTT Deputy Minister, Budi Arie Setiadi said at the launch that all parties are responsible for village development and digitization, especially students who are agents of change. He said he really appreciated the program theme "Youth Unite to Build Villages" in line with the Youth Pledge spirit. Budi also invites all related parties to bring about prosperity in the village with the slogan "Prosperous Village, Advanced Indonesia".

On the same occasion, House Commission V chairman Lasarus, said he was very happy and excited about the program. "If possible, such program should remain sustainable so that our people would really understand what digitization is, and not just in a nutshell,” he said. 

West Kalimantan Governor Sutarmidji said in his speech that village digitization is very important in achieving targeted number of independent villages in West Kalimantan. He said that even people in several villages “prefer to have a telecommunications tower than to repair the road in front of their houses.”

Tanjungpura University rector Prof. Garuda Wiko as the host of the event said this program would be  carried out in 28 villages in three districts in West Kalimantan. "God Willing,  the Tanjungpura Smart Village MBKM will be carried out next semester in at least 56 villages, involving more than 200 students from various majors. We hope Untan and Telkom can contribute to the development of village innovation and digitization through this program," Prof. Wiko said.

On a separate occasion, Telkom Enterprise & Business Service Director Edi Witjara said he hoped this program can positively impact on villages and various related parties. "Universities and students, are part of those that carry out the Independent Learning, Independent Campus (MBKM) program, while for local governments and rural communities, it is an effort to accelerate community digital transformation and to improve village welfare in general. Telkom will continue to provide telecommunications services extensively to develop a digital society Indonesia,” Edi said.

The Smart KKN Digital program is expected to be a positive step towards accelerating the realization of digital sovereignty for a better Indonesia.

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