INDONESIANS are using the Internet to access pornographic websites and little else, says a minister.

They are the world's biggest surfers of such websites, Communications and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring said although he did not provide any data.

"To date, Indonesia has the largest number of people who access porn sites," Jakarta Globe quoted him as saying.

Tifatul is an avid Internet user. He has Facebook and Twitter accounts and also has his own blog.

He said he was concerned about the situation and this had prompted him to launch a campaign aimed at teaching people how to use the Internet as an online source of useful information.

"We're going to encourage safe and healthy Internet use, or Insan," he said. Insan is an acronym made from the words Internet, sihat (healthy) and aman (safe).

Tifatul did not say how much money had been set aside to establish the programme.