Optimize PeduliLindungi App

A vaccination card or a QR code scanned through the PeduliLindungi testing and tracing application is now required for a variety of things. To ensure it runs smoothly, basic issues need to be addressed.

KOMPAS/ISMAIL ZAKARIA

PeduliLindung application is available for Android and iOS based devices, as seen, August 24, 2021.

As an effort to impose sanctions and express appreciation, this policy certainly deserves respect. As such, those who took the initiative to be vaccinated against COVID-19 should be allowed more freedom in their activities. On the other hand, this policy also helps screen those who are unvaccinated and at risk, so they are not easily exposed to the virus in public spaces.

However, many fundamental issues still need to be addressed. Several Kompas readers have shared their complaints on the difficulty they experienced in downloading the PeduliLindungi app. Others said that their vaccination certificates had not been registered and they had to do some back and forth to straighten out the issue. Failing that, they were denied entry to public spaces.

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The PeduliLindungi app requires not just a mobile phone, but it must be a smartphone. Newzoo, a market data analysis consultancy, especially for games, stated that there were 160.23 million Indonesian smartphone users in 2020. Considering that Indonesia’s total population reached 270.20 million in 2020 according to Statistics Indonesia’s population census, this means that around 109.97 million people still do not own a smartphone.

Therefore, how will the state be held accountable for citizens who cannot download the PeduliLindungi app but have been vaccinated and are equally entitled to the same appreciation for their compliance?

KOMPAS/HARIS FIRDAUS

Residents scan QR Code with Peduli Protect application via cellphone before entering Malioboro Mall, Yogyakarta City, Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), Tuesday (24/8/2021).

Most importantly, however, how will the state be held accountable when it has been found that the user data stored in the PeduliLindungi app can be easily hacked by digital thieves? Is the government unable to employ the best information technology experts to secure the data?

It is obvious that the PeduliLindungi app is far from perfect. We need to remind ourselves that Indonesia is a large nation that is diverse not only in terms of ethnicity, race, religion and culture, but also in education, age, economic status and even digital literacy in using information technology (IT) and accessing the internet. Improving the PeduliLindungi app requires considering all these aspects.

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Difficulty in registering the vaccination certificates and correcting data are also things that need to be considered. Digitalization is certainly important, but it is even more important that a human face is present among this technology. Anyone can be frustrated with receiving the standard, automated responses and would prefer some kind of hotline service with a human being on the other end.

The PeduliLindungi app must live up to its name and be optimized in terms of its breadth and strength to become an extension of the government in addressing citizens’ welfare. As Indian politician Chandrababu Naibu said, “The people need prosperity and good governance. As long as both are fulfilled, they will comply.”

This article was translated by Kesya Adhalia.