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President Joko Widodo has officially announced that the capital will be relocated to East Kalimantan and will be inaugurated in 2024, “Indonesia’s new capital is part of the massive transformation in the country!”
Ministries and government agencies will be relocated to the new capital from 2024 to 2045. For a country to become digitally enabled, it will require a massive data migration strategy in which government services are fully integrated, transparent, and secure. A regulatory framework for national digital transformation, encompassing four major domains: internal policy, governance, management, and service, must be established.
What steps need to be taken to ensure a secure effective cloud migration?
The Indonesian government’s “One Data” policy and the digital government environment are expected to have a significant impact on the design of big data architecture and infrastructure. In Indonesia, digital governance policies emphasise establishing stewardship, accountability, roles and decision-making authority for the city’s digital presence.
To avoid misalignment during the implementation of the digital strategy, the Indonesian government intends to establish a well-designed digital governance framework that will fully govern data protection and security.
Policymakers concerned with establishing security and data protection policies that balance the need to protect data with the need to enable secure data flows will always face challenges. To make this work, some governments have imposed stringent regulations, while others have developed a wide range of technical and security policies that overlap with existing international standards, resulting in a complex web of conflicting policies.
However, from a technological standpoint, we will explore the best solutions that will complement Indonesia’s “One Data” policy and practice.
Several trends emerge in the new shift towards the “One Data” policy. The first of which is the transition to “Datafication”. This practical concept has proven to be effective and is expected to deliver as all ministries prepare to migrate data and workflow in preparation to move to the new capital city. It is critical to plan the migration strategically to ensure that data is fully backed up and automated.
Another aspect to consider is expanding on the backup data classification. To guarantee data is always recoverable and available in the event of outages, attacks, loss or cyber threats, ministries must protect all workloads with backups, supplemented with snapshots and replication where appropriate.
This function enhances data governance practices, thereby increasing citizen and investor trust. Further, being prepared by implementing data classification and infrastructure resources can help in combating cyberthreat or data loss has effectively reduced the risk of a data breach.
The Virtual Public Sector Day held on 23 March 2022 is aimed at providing insights and practical solutions that enable the Indonesian public sector to maximise its data capability through comprehensive, centralised data protection, a cost-effective and secure data-driven process during the migration of data to the new capital.
The urgency of cloud modernisation

Kicking off the session, Mohit acknowledges that the pandemic brought significant changes in culture and perspective. In the new normal where remote working has been established, “data has to be readily available,” Mohit opines.
Yet, merely having data is not enough, “Data is oil only when it is used.” Everyone is in the process of realigning the data strategy, configuring their data policy on where data should be kept and how they should be used.
For Mohit, in the future that the world is heading towards, data needs to be accessible, backed up and secured. “You will get hit, it is going to happen,” Mohit claims. “The question is, what is your recovery strategy and how are you managing your data?”
Mohit observes that many governments have rapidly pivoted to build their applications on cloud – due to the elasticity and security that cloud offers. However, he agrees that some data will continue to reside on-prem, which is why hybrid models are embraced.
It is vital to learn how to use your entire set seamlessly. Organisations are dealing with legacy systems as well as “legacy people,” making the point that skillsets need to develop alongside the modernisation journey.
Closing his address, he strongly recommends governments look for specialists to partner with instead of doing everything on their own. “Let the experts do what they do best,” Mohit urges.
“It not only allows the best systems and infrastructure to be put in place but also frees up the organisation’s staff to concentrate on the business and focus on driving growth.”
Data strategies to power a digital government

Raymond Goh Senior Director, Systems Engineering, Asian & Japan, Veeam spoke next on the nuts and bolts of devising a data strategy in the public sector.
“How are we embracing technology? Are you an optimist or a pessimist?”, Raymond asks.
According to Raymond, there will always be pressure regardless of whether one is an optimist or pessimist. Data is exploding and organisations are running out of capacity to store data. There are several implications of that:
- De-duplication and compression to redress the capacity gap
- Feasibility of media technology like object storage architecture
- Intelligent data management that increases efficiency and utilisation
While data management is needed, Raymond acknowledges the challenges that organisations face including manual data classification from different inputs and applying it to compliance, disaster recovery, security or archive strategy. Yet there is hope in that there is cognitive computing and AIto sort, tag, place and automate data movement.
Sharing some of the use cases of data management systems, Raymond highlights the use case in the business continuity plan. Some of the key benefits are as follows:
- Backup Data classification from tier-based archiving to cloud and/or tape to cater for ZB data growth
- Disaster Recovery data classification together with infrastructure resources to combat cyberthreat or data loss
- Using criticality and gap assessments to ensure governance and compliance
Raymond also emphasises that it is a gradual process towards a hybrid cloud model and not “a big bang” approach.

Accordingly, Raymond shares how Veeam helps organisations with digital transformation. For Veeam, there are 5 stages of intelligent data management:
- Backup
Protect all workloads using backups, complemented by snapshots and replication where appropriate, to ensure they are always recoverable and available in the event of outages, attack, loss, or theft.
- Cloud mobility
Provides easy portability and fast recovery of ANY on-premises or cloud-based workloads to Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Azure Stack to maintain business continuity and Availability across hybrid cloud environments
- Visibility
View the full breadth of your data, accompanied by the infrastructure that it passes through and resides on, so that you can pivot from reactive to proactive management for better business decisions.
- Orchestration
Optimise data utilisation across multi-cloud environments with workflows that ensure consistent execution of otherwise manual and complex backup, recovery, and data management tasks.
- Automation
Data becomes self-managing by learning to protect itself with appropriate SLAs (Singapore Land Authority), methods, and locations to meet business objectives or comply with broader IT (Information Technology) initiatives.
From his experience, he concludes that utilising Veeam offers agencies a better data management system that can allow government agencies to provide better and faster services to citizens. Overall, it enables agencies the ability to protect, manage and unleash data.
Enhancing government services and citizen experience through cloud technology

Mohammad Ghozie Indra Dalel, Country Manager, Indonesia Worldwide Public Sector, Amazon Web Services followed with a sharing of how AWS can assist government agencies in their cloud modernisation journey.
According to Ghozie, Forbes has predicted that 80% of enterprise IT will move to the cloud by 2025, asserting the inevitable trend of cloud adoption.
Compared to traditional infrastructure, there are many benefits of cloud computing, including the on-demand delivery of IT resources over public or private networks without the up-front costs and long-term contracts. Apart from that, cloud computing offers pay-as-you-go pricing and the agility to scale up and down.
Ghozie shared that AWS Regions are comprised of multiple AZs for high availability, high scalability, and high fault tolerance. Applications and data are replicated in real-time and consistent in the different AZs.
On the topic of security, Ghozie articulated AWS’ shared responsibility model.
- Security in the Cloud: Customer responsibility will be determined by the AWS Cloud services that a customer selects
- Security of the Cloud: AWS is responsible for protecting the infrastructure that runs all the services offered in the AWS Cloud
Emphasising how industry leaders in Indonesia are building on AWS, Ghozie cited some prominent case examples of how AWS has helped the public sector devise solutions for their workflow.
During the pandemic, the government allocated Kartu Prakerja US$ 1.4 billion in 2021 to offer monetary incentives on top of skills training for those who complete these training courses. However, many attempted to exploit the government programme for their own monetary gain by submitting multiple registrations under different identities.

To make sure more Indonesians can benefit from its programme, Kartu Prakerja worked with AWS to improve and scale its identity verification process. With Amazon Textract’s computer vision technology, it can automatically extract data from copies of personal identification cards in seconds.
In closing, Ghozie concludes by stating that AWS improves operations safely and allows agencies to deploy resources at scale and with speed. He shared that the experience of AWS is something the government agencies can leverage to power their journey towards cloud modernisation.
Power Talk: “One Data” policy – Facilitating interaction between the government and citizens using the right technology
In the next segment, Mohit moderated a panel discussion with the following panellists:
- Habisanti, Country Manager, Indonesia, Veeam
- Raymond Goh, Senior Director of Systems Engineering, Asia & Japan, Veeam
- Setiaji, Chief of Digital Transformation Officer, Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia
- Wahyu Andrianto, Head of Data Planning, Analysis & Utilisation, Sekretariat Satu Data Indonesia, BAPPENAS
- Mohammad Ghozie Indra Dalel, Country Manager, Indonesia Worldwide Public Sector, Amazon Web Services
Mohit was keen to gain a perspective on global trends towards cloud adoption and modernisation.

Raymond observes that there is a movement towards intelligent data management. While there are still traditional workloads residing on-prem, there are data that are associated with the applications that are hosted on cloud. He added that there is a need to create an environment to support the applications.
Wahyu concurred with Raymond’s observations that there is design and the use of cloud as the main factor. He echoed Mohit’s perspective that cloud is indeed the future, and in fact “now.”
Ghozie noted that governments all over the world have been reaping the benefits of digital transformation. Many leading countries have been using cloud providers and have a specific policy to implement a cloud-first policy. Apart from that, there are also benefits in data classification where data is stored in different locations.
Setiaji added that the benefits of cloud are closely linked to the drivers of cloud adoption. Data migration often needs to be supported by big and unique infrastructure. Cloud offers scalability, without the need to have extensive manpower to manage the infrastructure, as well as security, because cloud has many systems in place for security.
On the considerations that organisations must bear in mind when moving to cloud, Habisanti commented that having one consolidated data is an ideal situation as it can allow for multiple uses of data. She highlighted that cloud adoption is a journey that happens in phases. The most important consideration for agencies is to ensure that there is clean data. For Habisanti, it is feasible – the key is to pick the right technology and solution, which is what Veeam has expertise in.
Identifying the right data management solution is what Veeam can do to help agencies protect and unleash the data to provide better and faster services to society. Habisanti added that Veeam can protect workloads across all platforms – from legacy systems to cloud. Further, they can monitor to detect malicious activities.

The expected benefits of cloud aside, Mohit was interested to know if there were benefits that Setiaji discovered after starting the journey of cloud modernisation.
For Setiaji, the benefits include:
- Agility: The ability to release the product faster to consumers
- Elasticity: The ability to increase and decrease capacity according to workload
Adding to that observation, Mohit remarked that while Singapore used to be wary about releasing things until they have tested, the urgency of deployment during COVID-19 saw the quick deployment of TraceTogether on cloud. Cloud makes it easy to scale and adapt in an agile manner.
Despite the benefits of cloud, Mohit remarked that there is hesitation in the movement to cloud. Ghozie concurs and said that the main reason is the lack of familiarity. People are not acquainted with cloud and might not have a strategy for moving to cloud.
The reluctance to move to cloud could also be related to challenges that people face, Habisanti suggests. It has to do with the fact that governments and organisations are still locked in legacy systems. She also feels that there is a lack of human resources and skillsets on the journey of transformation – Veeam can help bridge that gap with automation.
Looking for advice for public sector agencies seeking to move towards cloud, Mohit asked Habisanti for her thoughts.
“Regulations have to support the use of cloud,” Habisanti believes. Agencies should not follow the hype and take in any solution. “Learn the needs and details of your business and prioritise what needs to be solved. Not all problems are equally important.”

In concluding the segment, Mohit reiterates the scalability of cloud services which is the flexibility that governments can harness. However, he asserts the need to find platforms and services that can enable organisations to seamlessly transition to cloud.
Interactive Discussion
After the informative presentations, delegates participated in interactive discussions facilitated by polling questions. This activity is designed to provide live-audience interaction, promote engagement, hear real-life experiences, and facilitate discussions that impart professional learning and development for participants.
In the first poll, delegates were asked about what they think will be their organisation’s biggest challenge on data immutability during the capital relocation. Delegates were split between the long time required to recover data from backup (35%) and their customers’ confidence in the company (38%). Others found the compromising of backup copies (19%) as challenging, while the rest cited other reasons (8%).
One delegate shared that his challenge was in getting people aligned to the same understanding and coordinating between data owners. Another opined that having the same understanding of the purpose of the collaboration and partnership is important.
Wahyu added that establishing the standards and regulations is key during capital relocation. Habisanti cautioned delegates to be aware of expectations because when there is a lot of data to compile, there is a need for support systems, the right people and the right technology to support it.
Delegates were asked about their organisation’s expectations on recovery time and recovery points, should there be a disaster, disruption, cyberattack, corruption. An overwhelming majority (87%) expressed the desire to get back in less than 1 hour without any loss of transaction or data, while the rest (13%) said they could wait for up to 4 hours with data losses and downtime.
Mohit highlighted that not all data can be recovered within the first hour or at all and that there is a need to differentiate the criticality of the data. Raymond echoed the point made by Mohit and emphasised the need to classify and identify data that is truly critical for operations.
When it came to data recovery, Ghozie mentioned that there is no one formula. He added that recovering all data can be costly, which is why data classification is critical.
The next question inquired about the delegates’ confidence in their organisation’s data/workload can move securely across platforms/cloud. The majority (41%) are fairly sure, while others were very confident (23%), uncertain (27%) or not confident (9%).
One delegate shared the big concerns when moving workloads across platforms including governance, security, and willingness of the ministries to put data on cloud.
Habisanti said Veeam is one of the solutions when organisations are pivoting towards hybrid solutions – Veeam offers the portability from on-prem to cloud and from cloud to multi-cloud.
On their key concern in their consideration to move to the cloud, most (61%) were concerned about security and governance. The remaining delegates were concerned about the need to re-skill talent (15%), vendor lock-in (8%), operational costs (8%) and other concerns (8%).
Ghozie remarked that security is a concern for many public sector agencies because of a lack of understanding of cloud. Setiaji added that he believes in the security of cloud services and AWS has helped support his organisation manage the training of their staff on the cloud platform.
Mohit emphasised that it is s transformation journey – it is not lift-and-shift because it requires a transformation of applications.
In the final poll, delegates were asked about the area of interest for their organisation and what they value the most. More than a third (39%) were interested in the ease of doing business through a simplified technology consumption model. The rest of the delegates were interested in the visibility into cross-system data and infrastructure to identify unexpected changes and potential risks (26%), tools that can deliver automation in areas like compliance and data classification (26%) and delivering business resiliency through highly available applications and workloads (9%).
Conclusion
In closing, Ghozie emphasised that the needs of the time require new strategies, models, and technological adoption. Working with partners will help public sector organisations tap on the experience of the experts to transform their operations. In doing so, agencies can focus on delivering better and faster citizen services.
Habisanti, Country Manager, Indonesia Veeam thanked all the delegates for their participation and insights on the topic. She reiterated that Veeam can offer the support that organisations need for cloud modernisation and encouraged delegates to continue to have conversations about the ever-evolving technology landscape. She invited the delegates to reach out to her and the team if they had any queries or wanted to explore ways to collaborate.
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Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Defence, Heng Chee How, and Senior Minister of State for Communications and Information and Health, Dr Janil Puthucheary, recently visited the Critical Infrastructure Defence Exercise (CIDeX) 2023, underscoring the government’s commitment to fortifying national cybersecurity.

The exercise, held at the National University of Singapore School of Computing, witnessed over 200 participants engaging in operational technology (OT) critical infrastructure defence training.
Organised by the Digital and Intelligence Service (DIS) and the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA), with support from iTrust/SUTD and the National Cybersecurity R&D Laboratory (NCL), CIDeX 2023 marked a collaborative effort to enhance Whole-Of-Government (WoG) cyber capabilities. The exercise focused on detecting and countering cyber threats to both Information Technology (IT) and OT networks governing critical infrastructure sectors.
This year’s edition boasted participation from DIS, CSA, and 24 other national agencies across six Critical Information Infrastructure (CII) sectors. With an expanded digital infrastructure comprising six enterprise IT networks and three new OT testbeds, participants operated on six OT testbeds within key sectors—power, water, telecom, and aviation.
CIDeX 2023 featured Blue Teams, composed of national agency participants serving as cyber defenders, defending their digital infrastructure against simulated cyber-attacks launched by a composite Red Team comprising DIS, CSA, DSTA, and IMDA personnel. The exercises simulated attacks on both IT and OT networks, including scenarios such as overloading an airport substation, disrupting water distribution, and shutting down a gas plant.
The exercise provided a platform for participants to hone their technical competencies, enhance collaboration, and share expertise across agencies. Before CIDeX, participants underwent a five-day hands-on training programme at the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)’s Cyber Defence Test and Evaluation Centre (CyTEC) at Stagmont Camp, ensuring readiness for cyber defence challenges.
On the sidelines of CIDeX 2023, the DIS solidified cyber collaboration by signing Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with key technology sector partners, expanding its partnerships beyond the earlier agreement with Microsoft earlier in the year.
Senior Minister Heng emphasised the importance of inter-agency cooperation, stating, “CIDeX is a platform where we bring together many agencies throughout the government to come together to learn how to defend together.” He highlighted the collective effort involving 26 agencies and over 200 participants, acknowledging the significance of unity in cybersecurity.
Dr Janil echoed this sentiment, emphasising CIDeX’s role in the Whole-of-Government (WoG) cyber defence effort. He remarked, “Defending Singapore’s cyberspace is not an easy task, and it is a team effort.”
He commended the strong partnership between the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore and the Digital and Intelligence Service, recognising the exercise as a crucial element in strengthening the nation’s digital resilience and national cybersecurity posture.
By leveraging collaboration, innovation, and a robust defence strategy, Singapore aims not just to protect its critical infrastructure but to set a global standard in cybersecurity practices.
CIDeX 2023 serves as a compelling embodiment of Singapore’s unwavering dedication to maintaining a leadership position in cybersecurity practices. This strategic exercise underscores the nation’s commitment to cultivating collaboration and fortifying its resilience against continually evolving cyber threats.
Beyond a training ground for sharpening the skills of cyber defenders, CIDeX 2023 encapsulates the government’s profound commitment to adopting a robust, collaborative, and forward-thinking approach to safeguarding the integrity and security of the nation’s critical infrastructure in the dynamic landscape of the digital age.
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The Cyberport Entrepreneurship Programmes’ 20th Anniversary Celebration and Graduation Ceremony was a major event attended by notable personalities, distinguished guests and budding innovators.
Cyberport is Hong Kong’s digital technology flagship and incubator for entrepreneurship with over 2,000 members including over 900 onsite and close to 1,100 offsite start-ups and technology companies. It is managed by Hong Kong Cyberport Management Company Limited, wholly owned by the Hong Kong SAR Government.
With a vision to become Hong Kong’s digital technology hub and stimulate a fresh economic impetus, Cyberport is dedicated to cultivating a dynamic tech environment. This commitment involves nurturing talent, encouraging youth entrepreneurship, aiding startups, fostering industry growth through strategic partnerships with local and international entities, and driving digital transformation across public and private sectors, bridging new and traditional economies.

Professor Sun Dong, the Secretary for Innovation, Technology, and Industry, Hong Kong highlighted Cyberport’s incredible journey and the achievements of its vibrant community. Expressing his delight in commemorating Cyberport’s two-decade-long legacy, he emphasised the institution’s pivotal role as an ICT powerhouse in Hong Kong.
From its humble beginnings to its present stature, Cyberport has emerged as a catalyst for innovation, nurturing over 2,000 technology companies and startups and showcasing an exponential growth rate over the past five years.
Cyberport’s community has attracted a staggering US$38 billion of investment, marking its significance as an ICT flagship in Hong Kong. The establishment takes pride in its contribution to nurturing numerous innovative ideas and fostering dynamic business ventures, with seven notable unicorns in fintech, smart living, and digital entertainment sectors.
Cyberport excelled at the prestigious Hong Kong ICT Awards, with 25 startups securing 28 accolades, including the esteemed Award of the Year. This achievement showcased the institution’s exceptional calibre and innovation prowess nurtured within its ecosystem.
Acknowledging the pivotal role of startups in Cyberport’s success story, Professor Sun Dong shared how these young enterprises, often starting with a simple idea at a small table, grow in tandem with Cyberport’s support. The institution provides not just financial aid but also a nurturing environment where entrepreneurs can leverage extensive networks, collaborative spaces, and expert guidance to cultivate their ideas into commercial successes.
The graduation of more than 200 startups from the Entrepreneurship Programme stood as a testament to Cyberport’s commitment to fostering entrepreneurial talent. This initiative empowers startups to translate their ideas into tangible commercial solutions and market breakthroughs, laying the foundation for their future success.
Looking ahead, Professor Sun Dong outlined Cyberport’s exciting plans, including the upcoming expansion block slated for completion in two years, aimed at providing additional space for the community’s development. He also highlighted Cyberport’s initiative to establish the Artificial Intelligence Supercomputing Centre, a pioneering endeavour set to commence in 2024, envisioned to be a pioneering and substantial facility in Hong Kong.
Cyberport’s extraordinary journey showcases significant achievements while charting a promising future, embodying the core values of innovation, collaboration, and collective growth.
Professor Sun expressed gratitude on behalf of the Government, acknowledging their hard work and contributions to the tech ecosystem emphasising the importance of collective participation for a better future.
The vibrant success of events like the Cyberport Venture Capital Forum 2023 resonates with Cyberport’s commitment to fostering innovation and collaboration, further cementing its role as a catalyst for technological advancement and entrepreneurial growth in Hong Kong.
The Cyberport Venture Capital Forum (CVCF) 2023 saw a turnout of over 2,500 participants during its two-day hybrid event. Themed “Venture Forward: Game Changing through Innovation,” the forum convened 80 global visionary venture experts, entrepreneurial pioneers, and influential thinkers. With more than 120,000 page views and over 300 fundraising meetings facilitated, it solidified its position as a pivotal platform fostering networking and collaborative opportunities.
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In a significant stride towards technological innovation and sustainable development, the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR) and The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI) have joined forces to revolutionise India’s construction and wastewater treatment sectors.

This pioneering collaboration under the “Access to Knowledge for Technology Development and Dissemination (A2K+) Studies” Scheme of DSIR is aimed at aligning with India’s Smart Cities Mission and its ambitious commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2070.
DSIR’s allocation of two crucial research studies to TERI signifies a pivotal step in bridging the informational gap on advanced building materials, designs for energy efficiency, and the assessment of membrane-based sewage wastewater treatment systems for reuse and recycling.
A significant milestone in this partnership was marked by a high-profile Stakeholder Consultant Meeting held at the prestigious India Habitat Center in New Delhi. Attended by key decision-makers, esteemed experts from academia, industry leaders, and policymakers, this event became a platform for insightful discussions and collaborations.
Dr Sujata Chaklanobis, Scientist ‘G’ and Head of A2K+ Studies at DSIR, emphasised the importance of promoting industrial research for indigenous technology development, utilisation, and transfer in her address. Her words underscored the crucial role of research and innovation in fostering sustainable technological advancements.
Mr Sanjay Seth, Senior Director of TERI’s Sustainable Infrastructure Programme highlighted India’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2070. He stressed the imperative integration of cutting-edge technologies and innovative designs in buildings to significantly reduce energy consumption, a key step towards a sustainable, low-carbon future.
The first session of the consultation centred on leveraging emerging technologies and innovative solutions for advanced building design to enhance energy efficiency. Experts from various domains provided insightful suggestions and information, fostering dialogue on energy-efficient building designs and sustainable construction practices.
The second session delved into the current status and prospects of membrane technologies in India for sewage treatment. Insights from academia, including professors from prestigious institutions, shed light on research gaps and opportunities for commercialisation in the domain of membrane-based technologies.
Industry experts also provided valuable perspectives on the current membrane market, innovations, and opportunities, creating a comprehensive understanding of the landscape and paving the way for future developments.
The amalgamation of insights from academia, industry, and end-users enriched the discussions, providing a roadmap for future innovation and development in these critical sectors. The event culminated with a commitment from both DSIR and TERI to embark on an innovation journey, heralding a sustainable and resilient future for India.
The DSIR-TERI collaborative consultation stands as a beacon of transformative progress in advancing sustainable building practices and sewage treatment technologies. It underscores the power of partnership in driving technological evolution for a more sustainable tomorrow.
India’s ambitions intertwine technological progress with a steadffast commitment to sustainability, envisioning a future where innovation not only drives economic growth but also champions environmental stewardship.
Through strategic initiatives and cooperation, India aims to leverage cutting-edge technologies to address pressing global challenges, ensuring a harmonious balance between technological advancement, environmental preservation, and societal well-being.
NITI Aayog, in collaboration with CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, initiated the India Australia Rapid Innovation and Startup Expansion (RISE) Accelerator under the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) to bolster circular economy startups from both countries, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship.
The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT-Kanpur) and the African-Asian Rural Development Organisation (AARDO) jointly organised an international training programme, focused on exploring the application of nanotechnology in promoting plant growth and crop protection for sustainable agriculture.
According to an IIT-Kanpur statement, the programme served as a forum for experts from diverse fields to discuss and deliberate on solutions to meet the urgent global challenge of achieving food security and promoting sustainability in agriculture.
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The Indonesian government actively strives to implement thematic Bureaucratic Reform (RB) directly addressing societal issues. Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB) Abdullah Azwar Anas emphasised that innovation is one way to realise impactful bureaucracy.

To create impactful bureaucracy through innovation, the PANRB Ministry, which oversees public services, encourages local governments to replicate innovations through the Public Service Innovation Replication Forum (FRIPP). This is done to expand the reach of inventions and make them an integral part of the Bureaucratic Reform effort. The PANRB Ministry, as the overseer of public services, pays special attention to the steps local governments take in implementing innovations in public service delivery.
The Public Service Innovation Replication Forum (FRIPP) is a platform for local governments to share and discuss their experiences adopting specific innovations. By sharing best practices and learnings, local governments can gain valuable insights to enhance the quality of public services at the local level.
Furthermore, Abdullah Azwar Anas emphasised that inter-government collaboration is critical to building an innovative and positively impactful bureaucracy. “Through FRIPP, we encourage local governments to inspire and adopt innovations that have proven to provide real benefits to the community,” said Minister Abdullah Azwar Anas.
As previously reported by OpenGov Asia, the PANRB Ministry, along with the Ministry of Home Affairs and the National Administrative Agency (LAN), successfully launched the National Public Service Innovation Network (JIPPNas) website as a knowledge management system and the national database for public service innovations.
JIPPNas represents a concrete step in building an innovation ecosystem at the national level. This platform allows local governments to share ideas, projects, and innovative solutions in delivering public services. With this platform, other local governments can easily access and adopt innovations, accelerating the spread of best practices.
“Therefore, the presence of JIPPNas is expected to be an effort to grow new public service models through collaboration to achieve the future government,” said Minister Abdullah Azwar Anas.
In the discourse of Future Government, Minister Abdullah Azwar Anas outlined four main focus areas of the Thematic Bureaucratic Reform, which serve as the foundation for ambitious goals: poverty alleviation, increased investment, digitisation of government administration, and accelerating the current President’s priorities. Emphasis on these areas is crucial to ensuring that the bureaucracy is an effective and efficient driving force in realising the government’s vision and mission.
Minister Anas stressed the importance of a prime bureaucratic condition as a foundation to achieve the desired goals. Like a machine that must be well-maintained, the bureaucracy is directed to be able to drive the “vehicle” of the government towards the desired direction. Thus, the success of implementing the Thematic Bureaucratic Reform involves not only structural transformation but also upholding the quality and readiness of the bureaucracy as the primary driver of development.
Addressing Future Governance or Governance 5.0, Minister Anas detailed a significant paradigm shift. The “government regulating society” transitions to “Government working together with society,” or more precisely, considering society as a partner. This concept marks an evolution in how the government interacts with society, creating closer and more inclusive collaboration.
The importance of support from strategic partners such as Indonesia Infrastructure Project Governance (IIPG) is also highlighted. As a supporter of public governance reform, IIPG significantly contributes to maintaining synergy and harmonisation of roles across multi-sectors, both from the private and public sectors. This synergy is crucial in maintaining optimal performance and achieving public governance reform goals.
In line with the paradigm shift and focus on reform, these steps mark the government’s severe efforts to build a foundation for an adaptive, responsive, and actively engaged Future Government. Thematic Bureaucratic Reform is not just about structural transformation but also an effort to create a governance ecosystem capable of meeting the challenges and demands of the times effectively and competitively.
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The 21st century is frequently called the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), prompting questions about its societal implications. It actively transforms numerous processes across various domains, and research ethics (RE) is no exception. Multiple challenges, encompassing accountability, privacy, and openness, are emerging.

Research Ethics Boards (REBs) have been instituted to guarantee adherence to ethical standards throughout research. This scoping review seeks to illuminate the challenges posed by AI in research ethics and assess the preparedness of REBs in evaluating these challenges. Ethical guidelines and standards for AI development and deployment are essential to address these concerns.
To sustain this awareness, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), a part of the Department of Energy, has joined the Trillion Parameter Consortium (TPC), a global collaboration of scientists, researchers, and industry professionals. The consortium aimed to address the challenges of building large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) systems and advancing trustworthy and reliable AI for scientific discovery.
ORNL’s collaboration with TPC aligns seamlessly with its commitment to developing secure, reliable, and energy-efficient AI, complementing the consortium’s emphasis on responsible AI. With over 300 researchers utilising AI to address Department of Energy challenges and hosting the world’s most powerful supercomputer, Frontier, ORNL is well-equipped to significantly contribute to the consortium’s objectives.
Leveraging its AI research and extensive resources, the laboratory will be crucial in addressing challenges such as constructing large-scale generative AI models for scientific and engineering problems. Specific tasks include creating scalable model architectures, implementing effective training strategies, organising and curating data for model training, optimising AI libraries for exascale computing platforms, and evaluating progress in scientific task learning, reliability, and trust.
TPC strives to build an open community of researchers developing advanced large-scale generative AI models for scientific and engineering progress. The consortium plans to voluntarily initiate, manage, and coordinate projects to prevent redundancy and enhance impact. Additionally, TPC seeks to establish a global network of resources and expertise to support the next generation of AI, uniting researchers focused on large-scale AI applications in science and engineering.
Prasanna Balaprakash, ORNL R&D staff scientist and director of the lab’s AI Initiative, said, “ORNL envisions being a critical resource for the consortium and is committed to ensuring the future of AI across the scientific spectrum.”
Further, as an international organisation that supports education, science, and culture, The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has established ten principles of AI ethics regarding scientific research.
- Beneficence: AI systems should be designed to promote the well-being of individuals, communities, and the environment.
- Non-maleficence: AI systems should avoid causing harm to individuals, communities, and the environment.
- Autonomy: Individuals should have the right to control their data and to make their own decisions about how AI systems are used.
- Justice: AI systems should be designed to be fair, equitable, and inclusive.
- Transparency: AI systems’ design, operation, and outcomes should be transparent and explainable.
- Accountability: There should be clear lines of responsibility for developing, deploying, and using AI systems.
- Privacy: The privacy of individuals should be protected when data is collected, processed, and used by AI systems.
- Data security: Data used by AI systems should be secure and protected from unauthorised access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction.
- Human oversight: AI systems should be subject to human management and control.
- Social and environmental compatibility: AI systems should be designed to be compatible with social and ecological values.
Since 1979, ORNL’s AI research has gained a portfolio with the launch of the Oak Ridge Applied Artificial Intelligence Project to ensure the alignment of UNESCO principles. Today, the AI Initiative focuses on developing secure, trustworthy, and energy-efficient AI across various applications, showcasing the laboratory’s commitment to advancing AI in fields ranging from biology to national security. The collaboration with TPC reinforces ORNL’s dedication to driving breakthroughs in large-scale scientific AI, aligning with the world agenda in implementing AI ethics.
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The Chief Dental Officer of the Ministry of Health (MOH), Associate Prof Chng Chai Kiat highlighted their role in fostering collaboration, exploring innovation and propelling oral health into the future. Digitalisation, a key element of this transformation, takes centre stage providing a vibrant space for scientists to delve into technological advancements shaping the future of oral health.
Over the next few days, 60 local and international speakers will unravel cutting-edge technologies, artificial intelligence (AI), digital dentistry, biomaterials, orofacial devices, therapeutics, and more.
Oral diseases, affecting 3.5 billion globally, not only compromise health but also pose a substantial economic burden. In Singapore, the 2019/2020 National Adult Oral Health Survey revealed high prevalence rates, emphasising the need for effective strategies.
Assoc Prof Chng underlined the significance of oral health surveillance studies, crucial for policymaking and health system planning, while research becomes a driver for innovation in delivering quality oral care.
Population health takes precedence, aligning with Singapore’s healthcare reform through the Healthier SG initiative. The ageing population becomes a focal point, prompting the need for preventive care to ensure good oral health. Population oral health studies become instrumental in understanding responses to interventions across generations, contributing to effective policymaking.
A notable endeavour is the SG70 cohort study, “Towards Healthy Longevity,” integrating oral health research into mainstream public health initiatives. Led by the National University of Singapore, it examines the effects of biological, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors on healthy ageing. A representative sample of 3,000 Singaporeans aged 70 and older will be followed for the next 10 to 15 years.
Digital dentistry solutions take a leap forward with the ongoing development of a clinically integrated workflow to produce removable partial dentures efficiently. Spearheaded by SingHealth-Duke NUS Medical School, this research proposal employs 3D dental prosthesis printing, biomaterials, and regenerative dentistry, catering to the oral needs of an ageing population.
Industry collaboration has become integral, and a noteworthy example is the development of an antiseptic mouth rinse with anti-viral properties. Originating during the COVID-19 pandemic, the study by the National Dental Centre Singapore has successfully partnered with a homegrown oral care brand, showcasing a synergy between oral health research expertise and industry knowledge.
Digital dentistry solutions have revolutionised dental practices by offering precision, efficiency, and enhanced patient experiences. Utilising advanced technologies such as intraoral scanners and CAD/CAM systems, these solutions ensure precise measurements and accurate diagnoses.
Digital workflows streamline traditional processes, significantly reducing chair time and enabling same-day restorations. This benefits practitioners in terms of time efficiency and enhances the overall patient experience, as digital impressions replace traditional materials, providing a more comfortable and less intrusive procedure.
Customisation and aesthetics are paramount in modern dentistry, and digital tools like CAD/CAM systems allow for the creation of highly customised dental prosthetics tailored to individual patient anatomy. The precise colour-matching capabilities of digital technologies contribute to restorations that closely resemble natural teeth, achieving superior aesthetic outcomes.
Additionally, improved communication between dental professionals is facilitated through digital platforms, enabling seamless collaboration on multidisciplinary cases. The ease of sharing digital records with laboratories, specialists, and other team members fosters better coordination in delivering comprehensive patient care.
Beyond the immediate benefits, digital dentistry offers long-term advantages such as cost-effectiveness, as reduced material costs and increased efficiency offset initial investments.
The accessibility and secure storage of digital patient records contribute to better continuity of care, while ongoing technological advancements, including the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D printing, ensure that dental practices remain at the forefront of emerging trends.
Hence, digital dentistry has become an essential component of modern dental care, providing practitioners with tools to deliver high-quality, patient-centred services in a technologically advanced environment.
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Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, spoke at two influential tech events: the Indian Express Digifraud & Safety Summit 2023 and YourStory Techsparks’23. His engagements centred around India’s technological advancements, regulatory policies, and the nation’s promising future in the global tech landscape.

At these tech summits, Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar outlined India’s ambitious technological trajectory, reinforcing the government’s dedication to fostering innovation, ensuring a safe digital environment, and harnessing the transformative power of technology for the nation’s progress.
Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar articulated India’s journey in artificial intelligence (AI) and emphasised the government’s commitment to fostering innovation and the startup ecosystem. He expressed the government’s profound interest in further boosting India’s burgeoning startup landscape.
Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar noted India’s transition from an unrestricted, eternally optimistic view of technology and the internet to a more nuanced approach. He highlighted the government’s aim to strike a balance between fostering innovation and growth while guaranteeing distinct rights for digital citizens.
The Minister emphasised the evolution from the phase of transforming India to the concept of ‘New India’ and now envisions witnessing the emergence of ‘Viksit Bharat’. He expanded on India’s transformation which resonated with the Prime Minister’s vision to raise India to a developed nation status, aiming to elevate the nation to the position of the world’s third-largest economy.
Highlighting the government’s initiatives, Minister Chandrasekhar stated, “Our focus is on startups, innovation, and funding, creating a computing infrastructure. In January, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi agreed to establish a significant amount of GPU capacity in India for startups to access and bring forth their innovation and foundational models.”
He advocated for decentralising the startup landscape, encouraging the emergence of successful ventures from various regions across India. “We want unicorns and successful startups to come from Meerut, Ghaziabad, Kohima, Srinagar, Kottayam, Belgaum, Dharwad, Visakhapatnam, Nagpur, and beyond,” he asserted, confirming the nation’s commitment to fostering innovation in diverse cities.
Addressing concerns about internet regulation and safety, the Minister explained the government’s evolved approach, focusing on ensuring safety and trust for digital citizens while holding platforms accountable. He clarified that “safety and trust are not for the Government; rather, they are initiatives aimed at safeguarding the vast majority of Digital Nagriks”.
Reflecting on his participation in the UK AI Summit, Minister Chandrasekhar underscored India’s commitment to a safe and trusted internet, aligning with the government’s guiding principles since 2021.
“We want the internet to be safe and trusted; it is an article of faith. We also aim for platforms to be legally accountable,” he reiterated.
He highlighted the need to embrace AI’s potential while managing risks, warning against a narrative that diminishes its innovation. The Minister emphasised that avoiding the overshadowing of AI’s benefits by its perceived risks is crucial for the digital economy and the populace.
“We don’t seek to demonise AI; rather, it’s vital to maintain a balance so that the discourse on its risks doesn’t eclipse its potential advantages,” he explains, clarifying India’s approach to artificial intelligence.
OpenGov Asia provided coverage of India’s expanding global influence, highlighting the country’s leadership roles across diverse international platforms. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has introduced the Global Digital Public Infrastructure Repository (GDPIR) and a Social Impact Fund (SIF). The GDPIR will be used for sharing information and best practices and the SIF is designed to advance Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI).
He unveiled the schemes during the Virtual G20 Leaders’ Summit. Chaired by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), the G20 Digital Economy Working Group (DEWG) has played a key role in progressing the global DPI agenda.