Internet users in Indonesia to reach four million

Jan 03 2001: The number of Internet users in Indonesia will double to four million people in 2001. The announcement was made by the Indonesian Association of Internet Service Providers (APJII) and was based on the fast growth of the Internet in Asia over the past two years. In 2000, the number of Internet users in Indonesia grew by 180 percent, compared to 120 percent for South Korea, 115 percent for Singapore, and 90 percent for Malaysia. India and China witnessed a dramatic surge in the number of Internet users last year—4,500 percent and 1,600 percent increases, respectively. Despite the strong figures projected for Indonesia, the level of Internet penetration is still low—0.71 percent of the population last year. The APJII will provide increased Internet access in schools, as private Internet access is less common in Indonesia. Over half (52 percent) of Indonesia’s Internet users access the Web from a cybercafe, while 42 percent access the Internet from the workplace. Many Indonesian Internet users have been dissuaded from conducting financial transactions online because of concerns over security.