Former President, Prof. Dr. Ing. B.J. Habibie, said that technology plays important role to improve the competitiveness of the nation. Technology includes Indonesia as a more superior nation compared with other nations. "Appropriate Technology can improve the value of something or an unworthy particular concept into something useful. The value comes from the thoughts of someone," he said in the Presidential Lecture, Develops Competitiveness, Options Challenges and Policy. The event was held at UGM Graha Sabha Pramana on Thursday (26/5).
According to Habibie, the technology is a summary of the science application. By summarizing the basic sciences makes a product to have added value of something that previously not worthy. Meanwhile, the use of appropriate technology is proven to be able to increase the percentage of industrial development in Indonesia.
Habibie exemplifies the manufacturing sector in the period of 2008 to 2010 experienced an increase up to 8 percent. "The nation needs the technology because the nation's competitiveness was assessed from its creation and not just the talk. The improvement is also happening in the construction industry which reaches 43 percent. This occurs because of massive development or construction to build malls, and luxurious houses," said the former Minister of Research and Technology in the Cabinet of Development in the New Order era.
Nevertheless, the people of Indonesia have not entirely utilized the technology and even if the use of technology is high, it is consumptive. "The amount of Internet users in our nation is still very limited compared to other nations, only 23.9 percent in average, or only a third of Internet usage rates in the world. Things to do currently are to increase innovation and the utilization technology to improve productivity," he added.
UGM Graduate School Director, Prof. Dr. Hartono, said that the Presidential Lecture event was held in a series of its 30th Anniversary and the 62th Anniversary of UGM. Although it has been established since more than sixty years ago, UGM still need role models and supervision for the progress development of science and technology. "In addition, it’s because the UGM has proclaimed itself as a World Class Research University," he said.