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In need of innovation: Ma’ruf calls on researchers to take country forward
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Research and Technology Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro (left) and Assessment and Application of Technology Agency (BPPT) head Hammam Riza (second left) inspect a mobile biosafety level-2 laboratory in Jakarta on June 16. The laboratory was built by the BPTT and the national COVID-19 task force on research and technological innovation (TFRIC-19) to ramp up the country’s capacity to detect cases of COVID-19. (Courtesy of/BPPT)
T
he 25th National Technology Awakening Day on Tuesday was a call to researchers to spur innovation so that the country could solve the problems and challenges it faced independently, Vice President Ma’ruf Amin has said.
Ma’ruf cited data from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that show Indonesia only has 89 researchers for every 1 million people, far less than Vietnam with 682 researchers per 1 million population, despite allocating more money than the fellow Southeast Asian to research and development.
He said only a few innovators had been able to commercialize their innovations.
“I hope that this year’s commemoration can inspire researchers and other innovators to create more homemade innovations, especially in preventing and handling the COVID-19 pandemic,” he said.
“For those who haven’t succeeded, do not stop innovating and keep trying, I am certain that one day you will succeed in finding new innovations that are beneficial to the nation,” he added.
This year marks 25 years since Indonesia’s homemade N-250 Gatotkaca turboprop aircraft made its first flight in Bandung, West Java, on Aug. 10, 1995, which has since been remembered as National Technology Awakening Day.
Innovation is essential for Indonesia to improve its global competitiveness and achieve its dream of becoming a developed country.
