Jakarta. President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo officially inaugurated the Indonesia Digital Test House (IDTH) worth Rp 980 billion ($61 million) on Tuesday. IDTH is a telecommunications device testing laboratory located in Tapos, Depok, West Java.

In his remarks, Jokowi expressed his hope that with the inauguration of IDTH as an internationally standardized digital device testing laboratory, Indonesia could become a key player in the global technology supply chain.

"I am grateful that we now have the largest and most comprehensive international standard device testing center in ASEAN," he said.

Jokowi explained that the construction of IDTH, covering an area of 22,723 square meters, cost nearly Rp 1 trillion.

"I have visited all the rooms, the devices are very modern, very good. The budget used to build this building with an area of 11,953 square meters was almost Rp 1 trillion, precisely Rp 980 billion," he explained.

The president expressed concern about the dominance of imports in the use of technology devices in Indonesia, with imports valued at more than Rp 30 trillion. "We must not only be spectators, we must not only be consumers, and we must become players, producers," said the President.

Jokowi then called on the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology to transform IDTH into a facility for testing and certifying technology and digital devices.

"I ask the ministry to push IDTH to become a research and development center, collaborate with universities, and SMEs, and encourage research and patents. This is what we aspire to do together. Digitalization becomes the basis for developing the industry by placing local producers as kings in their own country," he concluded.

During the launch of IDTH, Jokowi was accompanied by Communication and Information Technology Minister Budi Arie Setiadi, Chief Security Affairs Minister Hadi Tjahjanto, Presidential Chief of Staff (KSP) Moeldoko, and Acting Governor of West Java Bey Machmudin.
 

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