Prabowo Distributes Phones, Starlink to Miangas Residents
Reporter
May 11, 2026 | 04:25 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Prabowo Subianto discussed digital connectivity in Indonesia’s outermost regions during a working visit to Miangas Island in Talaud Islands Regency, North Sulawesi, on Saturday, May 9, 2026.
Speaking on the remote island near the Philippine border, Prabowo stressed that reliable communication and internet access are essential not only for daily life, but also for national defense and sovereignty.
To improve connectivity in frontier areas, the government is distributing hundreds of Starlink satellite internet units, mobile phones, internet modems, and support for the construction of base transceiver stations (BTS), according to a statement from the Presidential Secretariat.
Prabowo said remote regions must become a development priority to ensure residents are not left isolated and have access to adequate communication infrastructure.
“We are strengthening the network so mobile phones can function here,” Prabowo said, referring to the government’s telecommunications expansion program. He added that Minister of Communication and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid was accompanying the visit and overseeing the distribution of mobile phones and Starlink services for local households.
The Presidential Secretariat said the expanded communication infrastructure on Miangas Island is intended to support community activities, including education, healthcare services, and economic activities among coastal residents.
The government also said improved internet and telecommunications access could help increase connectivity in remote border areas and support emergency communication and security coordination in frontier regions.
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