Jakarta (Agencies): Elon Musk, the billionaire founder of SpaceX and Tesla, has launched the Starlink satellite internet service in Indonesia, marking the country as the third in Southeast Asia to welcome the operation. The launch took place on Sunday at a community health center in Denpasar, the capital of Bali, where Musk arrived earlier that day via private jet.
Dressed in a traditional green batik shirt, Musk inaugurated the service alongside Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Communications Minister Budi Arie Setiadi, and Maritime and Fisheries Minister Sakti Wahyu Trenggono. Musk emphasized that the satellite service would significantly improve internet access for millions of Indonesians.
The focus of the event was on the potential benefits of high-bandwidth connectivity for rural islands and remote communities. Musk highlighted the transformative power of internet connectivity, stating, “You can learn anything if you’re connected to the internet, but if you’re not connected, it’s very difficult to learn.”
With over 17,000 islands, three different time zones, and a population of more than 270 million, Indonesia presents a unique challenge for internet connectivity. Musk stressed that internet access is not only crucial for learning but also for business, particularly for those in remote areas looking to offer virtual services globally.
Following Malaysia and the Philippines, Indonesia is the third Southeast Asian country to host Starlink operations. The service was launched at three Indonesian health centers on Sunday, two in Bali and one on the remote island of Aru in Maluku. The services will primarily be used for health and education, especially in outer and underdeveloped regions.
Health Minister Sadikin expressed optimism that Starlink would bring high-speed connectivity to thousands of health centers across the country, particularly benefiting those in remote areas. He said, “With Starlink, 2,700 community health centers that had difficulties getting internet access and another 700 that didn’t have internet access, now can have them. So, the services will not differ with health centers that are located in the cities.”