Kemenperin Mau Apple Berinvestasi Lebih Besar, Proposal Bangun Pusat Research AI Di RI

The Ministry of Industry (Kemenperin) has discussed Apple's $100 million investment proposal in a meeting chaired by the Minister of Industry (Menperin) Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita on Thursday, November 21, 2024. However, the Ministry of Industry wants the iPhone 16 producing company to provide a larger investment.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry Febri Hendri Antoni Arif asked Apple to be able to build factories in Indonesia. The hope is that there will be a positive double impact on the national economy.

"If we, the government, certainly wants to be bigger (invest in Apple). We hope that (Apple) can build its manufacturing industry in Indonesia," said Febri.

However, factory construction is not the end goal. Febri said that the Ministry of Industry offered Apple to build research and development (R&D) centers in the artificial intelligence (AI) sector.

"No (need to build a factory). We can also offer to Apple to build R&D, especially related to industry 4.0, AI. Right, some of Apple's strengths are there," he said.

Febri added, there are other ways for Apple to strengthen the positive benefits of its investment into the country. For example, it can attract local producers to enter Apple's global supply chain.

According to him, domestic industries are already able to produce some of the necessary components. For example in the form of cables, chargers and other accessories.

"If that's included, they just buy products from the domestic industry as part of their components. Of course, that's very much what we want, because it will have a multiplier effect, especially in terms of manpower in Indonesia," he said.

Previously, the Ministry of Industry confirmed that the iPhone 16 could not be sold in Indonesia even though the giant company had submitted a new investment of 100 million US dollars to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia.

Spokesperson for the Ministry of Industry, Febri Hendri Antoni Arif, said that Apple Inc still has not complied with regulations in Indonesia.

This is because the obligation to invest IDR 271 billion to comply with the Domestic Component Level (TKDN) has not yet been carried out.

In fact, the TKDN requirements are regulated in the Regulation of the Minister of Industry (Permenperin) Number 29 of 2017 concerning Provisions and Procedures for Calculating Domestic Component Values for Cellular Phone Products, Handheld Computers and Tablet Computers.

In Permenperin 29/2017, it is stated that the TKDN calculation can be carried out using three schemes, namely making domestic products or building factories, making domestic applications and/or developing innovations in the country.

"(During this process, it means that the iPhone 16 cannot enter yet?) Not yet," Febri said at a press conference at his office, Thursday, November 21.