Post offices to provide access to digital world

Alvin Darlanika Soedarjo, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesian communities will soon be acquainted with new government-initiated Internet kiosks at local post offices featuring at least four desktop computer stations, a scanner, a printer and a digital camera.

In a drive to provide communities with greater Net access for educational and entrepreneurial purposes, the Internet kiosks were jointly conceived by the Communication and Information Ministry and state-owned PT Pos Indonesia.

The joint project has been dubbed the Indonesian Information Community Kiosk or Warmasif.

"Warmasif is an outlet for people in a particular area to communicate, access global information, market their products, make online deals and access a virtual community library," said Director General for Information and Telecommunication Technology Cahyana Ahmadjayadi on Thursday.

The project aims to reduce poverty, narrow the digital divide and create knowledge-based communities, he said at a press conference on the collaborative effort.

"There are already 13 Warmasif kiosks in Indonesia, such as in Palangkaraya, Kupang, Manado, Ambon and Jayapura. We plan to develop 50 more this year in various cities and regencies," he said.

Provincial administrations have been urged to inform their communities on the function and educational and financial benefits of Warmasif.

Kiosk-goers will be linked to a virtual subject-based library developed by the Communication and Information Ministry.

Comprehensive electronic health and medical resources will also be made available, which will include access to health insurance companies, hospitals, clinics, the Indonesian Red Cross, medical experts and specialists.

The e-business component of Warmasif will help users market their products globally, purchase products from other provinces or foreign countries and make electronic transactions, which will be authorized by their local post office.

The ministry also runs a small and medium business website (e-UKM) to enable users to liaise with other entrepreneurs online.

Open-source operating system Linux will be installed on all kiosk computers in an effort to provide the system with better protection against viruses, Cahyana said.

The project will support the spirit of the Indonesia Go Open Source (IGOS) program, which is a national scheme in which state institutions use license-free, open-source software rather than proprietary products developed by major global software companies.

The deal between the ministry and PT Post Indonesia will also involve training for kiosk administrators.

"Post office employees will be trained to become administrators and guides for members of the community who are still computer and Internet illiterate. There are many of them in remote areas," said PT Pos Indonesia chairman Hana Suryana.

People can find more information about the venture at www.warmasif.co.id.

For PT Pos Indonesia, this is the company's second major digital business venture -- after establishing Internet service provider Wasantara Net in 1996 -- and takes advantage of its widespread network of post offices.

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