Limited Smartphone Users, Puan Maharani Asks The Government To Find Another Alternative Download PeduliLindung

DPR Speaker Puan Maharani (Photo: Puan's Personal DOK/VOI)

JAKARTA - Chairperson of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Puan Maharani, hopes that the government will find a solution or other mechanism for people who do not have a gadget or smartphone to access public facilities.

This was said by Puan, because smartphones are the main tool for downloading the PeduliLindung digital application. This application is a requirement for the public to be active in public spaces during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Not all Indonesians have smartphones so they can download the PeduliLindung application. Therefore, the government must think of other mechanisms for people who do not have one," said Puan, Monday, September 13. Citing Newzoo data, Puan explained that smartphone users in Indonesia in 2020 reached 160.23 million people. Meanwhile, referring to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Indonesia's population in 2020 is 270.20 million people.

This means, said Puan, that there are still 109.97 million people who do not own a smartphone.

"The more than one hundred million Indonesians who do not have smartphones cannot be reduced or lost their rights during the pandemic, just because they do not have the digital application download tool," said the former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (PMK).

Moreover, said Puan, people who do not have smart phones have obeyed the COVID-19 vaccination. According to him, they should also receive the same appreciation as those who have mobile phones and have downloaded the PeduliLindung application.

"It's not just because they don't have a smartphone and can't download PeduliLindung so they can't enter the mall, they can't travel, and so on. Public discrimination because of smartphone ownership and downloading this application shouldn't happen," said Puan.