Gov't sees Aceh's Malacca Strait position as digital opportunity

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Communication and Digital Affairs Minister Nezar Patria said Aceh's strategic location at the edge of the Malacca Strait presents an opportunity to strengthen the region's technological capacity and digital economy.In a press statement issued here on Tuesday, Patria said the Malacca Strait is not only a vital global trade route but also part of the global digital infrastructure network through undersea communication cables connecting countries across the region.'The subsea cable that carries the internet we use today runs beneath the Malacca Strait,' Patria said at a discussion titled 'Aceh, the Malacca Strait, and Indonesia's Digital Future' in Banda Aceh on Sunday (September 6).According to Patria, a strategic geographic location does not automatically generate economic benefits, and Aceh needs the capacity to create value from its position.Patria cited undersea cable infrastructure crossing the Malacca Strait as an example, noting that it carries data traffic between countries and forms an important part of the global internet ecosystem.However, he said the main gateway points are largely concentrated in Singapore, a situation Indonesia needs to consider when exploring opportunities to develop digital infrastructure and an ecosystem around the strategic route.'Why isn't the gateway in Sabang or in places under our control? This is a question we need to answer,' Patria said.He said Aceh already has the initial resources needed to seize the opportunity, including universities, a technology community, young talent, and a geographic location directly facing international trade and connectivity routes.Through the Garuda Spark Innovation Hub in Banda Aceh, local talent can gain access to mentoring, business networks, product development opportunities, and potential investors.'What we need is value creation from the resources available through technology, skills, and innovation,' he added.