The West Nusa Tenggara Province Information Management and Documentation Officer Public Information System (SIP-PPID) was launched, Tuesday, September 17 2013 at the Santika Hotel Mataram. Public Agency Officer for the NTB Community Access to Information program Ahmad Busyairi reported that the launch coincided with the inauguration of Dr. TGH. Zainul Majdi and H. Muhamad Amin, SH., M Si as governor and deputy governor of NTB Province for the 2013-2018 period.

Present at the event were members of the Regional Leadership Communication Forum, Head of SKPD for the NTB Provincial Government, NTB Provincial PPID, chairman of the PPID SKPD for the NTB Provincial Government, AIPD NTB, CATI Program Manager, community groups or community centers, media and other invitees.

The event was opened by singing the national anthem Indonesia Raya, followed by showing a video-graphic about the functions of PPID and the flow of public information services in order to fulfill the mandate of the Public Information Disclosure Act (UU KIP).

AIPD Program Deputy Daniel Hunt in his remarks said, SIP PPID is the first one made in Indonesia as an information service system to fulfill the public’s right to information. On behalf of the Australian Government, he expressed his appreciation and gratitude to the Governor for his support so far in the cooperation between the Australian government and the West Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government. “Hopefully NTB will be at the forefront and an example of openness of information for other regions,” said Daniel.

While the Governor of NTB emphasized, “After a few hours we were entrusted with leading NTB, so we will start working immediately. This SIP-PPID program shows that good initiatives can be born in NTB.”

The Governor further conveyed, the vision of NTB is Faithful, Cultured, Competitive and Prosperous. In realizing the four words in this vision, all must participate. The community must know what the government is doing, how the APBD is, as well, the government’s constraints must be known by the community. To develop NTB in the next five years there must be the involvement of all elements.

At the end of his remarks, the Governor officially launched the NTB Provincial SIP-PPID. “There is no need for information to be hidden within the government except for matters that have been regulated according to law. By asking for the Grace and Ridho of Allah SWT, SIP PPID, I hereby declare it officially launched.” Applause from the audience accompanied the launch.

Even more important is the functioning of SIP PPID so that it can fulfill people’s rights to know. This hope was conveyed by the people who attended the event.

“The implementation of this system opens the way for people who are in remote locations to be able to obtain information. Now there are no more distance constraints, everything feels easy and possible with technology. Hopefully the application of this technology will not hinder residents from getting their basic rights,” said Masbah, a representative from the Sigerongan Village community center in West Lombok.