The Ministry of Communications and Informatics (
Indonesian: Kementerian Komunikasi dan Informatika; abbreviated as Kominfo) is an
Indonesian government ministry that is responsible for
communications, information affairs and internet censorship. The ministry reports to the president and is currently led by
Budi Arie Setiadi, the Minister of Communications and Informatics.[1]
The current form of the ministry was established in 2001 by President
Megawati Sukarnoputri after its predecessor, the Department of Information (
Indonesian: Departemen Penerangan,
lit. 'Department of Enlightenment', abbreviated Deppen), was abolished by President
Abdurrahman Wahid in 1999. Deppen itself was created in 19 August 1945, during the
National Revolution.[2]
Organization
By Presidential Decree No. 22/2023[1] and Minister of Communication and Information Technology No. 12/2021, the Ministry is organized as follows:
Office of the Minister
Office of the Deputy Minister
Special Advisors to the Minister
Special Advisor to the Minister on ICT Law
Special Advisor to the Minister on Social Affairs, Economics and Culture
Special Advisor to the Minister on Communications and Mass Media
Special Advisor to the Minister on Technological Affairs
Secretariat General of Communications and Informatics
Bureau of Planning
Bureau of Employment and Organization
Bureau of Finance
Bureau of Legal Affairs
Bureau of Public Communication
Centers (attached to the Secretariat General)
Center of Data and Information Technology
Center for International Relations
Secretariat of Indonesian Central Broadcasting Commission
Secretariat of Indonesian Press Council
Secretariat of Indonesian Central Information Commission
Directorate General of Postal and Information Technology Devices and Resources (DG I)
DG I Secretariat
Directorate of Resources Management
Directorate of Resources Operations
Directorate of Controllers
Directorate of Standardization of Postal Devices and Communication Devices
Center for Telecommunication Devices Testing
Class I Radio Frequency Spectrum Monitoring Centers (located at Jakarta, Tangerang, Medan, Pekanbaru, Palembang, Bandung, Semarang, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Denpasar, Kupang, Samarinda, and Makassar)
Class II Radio Frequency Spectrum Monitoring Centers (located at Batam, Pontianak, Manado, Jayapura, Merauke, Padang, Jambi, Bengkulu, Lampung, Banjarmasin, Palangkaraya, Mataram, and Palu)
Radio Frequency Spectrum Monitoring Stations (located at Pangkal Pinang, Gorontalo, Mamuju, Manokwari, and Tanjung Selor)
Directorate General of Postal Services and Information Technology Operations (DG II)
DG II Secretariat
Directorate of Postal Services
Directorate of Telecommuncation
Directorate of Broadcasting
Directorate of Bandwidth Development
Directorate of Post and Communication Control
Directorate General of Information Technology Application (DG III)
DG III Secretariat
Directorate of Informatics Application Management
Directorate of Informatics Application Services for Government
Directorate of Digital Economy
Directorate of Information Empowerment
Directorate of Informatics Application Control
Directorate General of Information and Public Communications (DG IV)
DG IV Secretariat
Directorate of Information and Public Communication Management
Directorate for Information and Public Communication in Politics, Legal, and Security Affairs
Directorate for Information and Public Communication in Economical and Maritime Affairs
Directorate for Information and Public Communication in Human Development and Cultural Affairs
Directorate of Media Management
Inspectorate General
Inspectorate General Secretariat
Inspectorate I
Inspectorate II
Inspectorate III
Inspectorate IV
Agency for Human Resource Development of Communication and Information Technology
Agency for Human Resource Development of Communication and Information Technology Secretariat
Center for Research and Development of Postal and Informatics Resources, Devices, and Operations
Center for Research and Development of Informatics Application and Public Information and Communication
Center for Professional Development and Certification
Multimedia College
Medan Indonesian Institute for Human Resource Development and Research in Communication and Informatics
Makassar Indonesian Institute for Human Resource Development and Research in Communication and Informatics
Jakarta Indonesian Center for Human Resource Development and Research in Communication and Informatics
Bandung Indonesian Center for Human Resource Development and Research in Communication and Informatics
Yogyakarta Indonesian Center for Human Resource Development and Research in Communication and Informatics
Manado Indonesian Center for Human Resource Development and Research in Communication and Informatics
Banjarmasin Indonesian Center for Human Resource Development and Research in Communication and Informatics
Surabaya Indonesian Center for Human Resource Development and Research in Communication and Informatics
Cikarang Indonesian ICT Training Center
Agency for Telecommunication and Information Accessibility (Supervised Organization)
Directorate of Resources and Administration
Directorate of Finance
Directorate of IT Services for Enterprises
Directorate of IT Services for Public and Government
Directorate of Infrastructure
Internal Investigation Unit
Criticism
The ministry is often criticized for its
censorship, as it blocks websites "to protect its citizen from hoax" [sic]. In 2020, the Director General Ministry Semuel Abrijani Pangerapan and
Johnny G. Plate introduced a law that requires foreign companies to register under the Electronic System Operator list which could give the government access to the citizen's personal info and threaten the company to block access from the country if the company did not register. The law was revised and passed in 2021.[3] In July 2022, a ban was implemented for several notable websites such as
PayPal,
Epic Games,
Steam,
Origin, and
Yahoo, and games such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 as they did not register under the ministry's new law.[4][5][6] Paypal, Steam, CSGO, Dota 2, and Yahoo would later be normalized or access reopened again by 2 August 2022.[7]