Indonesia’s big dream to connecting the whole archipelago with “Palapa Project” will be longer than it’s estimation, 3 out of 7 company has withdraw themself from the consortium.

This is the biggest project after Suharto’s era with his IPTN(Indonesian Aircraft Industri).

Personally I believed that this project will be make technology leapfrog to the Indonesians, because now the country has problem with slow and expensive internet connection.

The Company which is withdraw from the consortium :

• Macca System Infocom
• Infokom Elektrindo
• Powertek Utama Internusa

Member of the current consortium :

• Bakrie Telecom
• Excelcomindo Pratama
• Telkom
• Indosat

Many rumours said that this Mega $250 Million Project is non-transparent on it’s licensing and some pressures from national political parties. It’s unclear which parties doing the pressure.

This ambitious project is proposed from Indonesian Communication and Informatics Ministry Sofyan Jalil on August 2006. But after reshuffle cabinet, Sofyan Jalil become Minister of State Enterprises. His former department now held by Muhammad Nuh Dea, a former Rector of Sepuluh November Institute of Technology (ITS).