IOC Hosts Seminar on Jakarta and Smart Cities
The Boston University Initiative on Cities and the Frederick S. Pardee School of Global Studies at Boston University hosted a discussion on September 15, 2016 with Michael Sianipar, a key staff member of the Governor of Jakarta, on how the capital of Indonesia has become a “smart” city.
The discussion was moderated by Master Lecturer in Strategy and Innovation at the BU Questrom School of Business Paul McManus.
Sianipar detailed the benefits and challenges of instituting a smart city approach in Jakarta, one of Asia’s mega-cities. He emphasized the importance of bureaucratic reform in the transformation of Jakarta.
“Whenever people ask what our highest priority is, it’s always the same — bureaucratic reform,” Sianipar said. “What the governor believes is that while it’s important to revamp the educational system, the healthcare system and infrastructure, what is most important for us is to identify who is capable for a job — can we get the right civil servants to the right positions. Do we have the right people to handle the jobs?”
Sianipar also emphasized the importance of public input and participation in Jakarta’s transformation into a smart city.
“What we are relying on right now the most is public input — it’s a bottom-up smart city program relying on grassroots involvement and public participation,” Sianipar said.
To learn more about the Boston University Initiative on Cities click here.