Budiman Sudjatmiko Challenges Indonesian Students Around The World To Return To The Village

JAKARTA - Chairman of Innovator 4.0 Budiman Sudjatmiko, challenged the world-wide Indonesian Student Association (PPI) to take control of development at the village level. PPI alumni are expected to be the driving force for development, especially in the field of technology and information in villages to pick up the 4.0 revolution.

"Indonesian students in the world must be part of village development to drive digital development and development at the village level," said Budiman in the 2020 PPI World PPI Symposium XII Webinar with the topic of Technology Innovation 4.0, Friday, August 21.

Currently there are 74,517 villages in Indonesia. Meanwhile, the number of Indonesian students abroad is around 76 thousand people. Budiman, who is a pro democracy activist against the New Order, imagined that his alumni would become CEOs of Village-Owned Enterprises (BUMDEs).

"Imagine if only one tenth or 7,600 people became CEOs of BUMdes, is that cool? I call on young people to make a movement to reform the village with science and technology," continued the initiator of the Village Law in the DPR.

According to him, there are still many potentials from the village that must be explored. The younger generation, especially the graduates from abroad, must be able to build a village, not just think for themselves.

"Try your friends to think there, not just thinking of working in a big company. Try going back to the village, there is a lot of potential in the village," he said.

Not only challenging Indonesian youth and students abroad, Budiman also gave an example through Innovator 4.0, which is currently building a community-based cooperative called Koperasi Satelit Desa Indonesia (KSDI).

His goal is to orbit his own satellite to build networks throughout the country. For Budiman, satellites for villages are very important so that connectivity can reach remote areas.

"We have a vision to ensure that villages have their own satellites. We focus on regions, villages with blindspots to connect. Indeed, the government has the Palapa Ring, but the term is just like 'toll road.' building 'roads' to remote areas so that all can be connected, "he said.

The vision of this former 98 activist received appreciation from the Head of the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT) Hammam Riza. According to him, Budiman's thoughts were very comprehensive regarding technological development in the village.

"Mas Budiman's explanation is very complementary, he is very wide and comprehensive," I just elaborated, "concluded Hammam.

PPI members who took part in the webinar were also enthusiastic about Budiman's explanation, seen from the many questions about the application and development of technology in the village.