Tim Cook Consider Jokowi's Request To Build Factory And Apple Store In Indonesia

Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi with Apple CEO Tim Cook (photo: Instagram @budiariesetiadi)

JAKARTA - In his meeting with Apple CEO Tim Cook on Wednesday, April 17 at the State Palace, President Joko Widodo expressed his desire for Apple to set up a factory in Indonesia.

Minister of Communication and Information Budi Arie Setiadi who accompanied Tim Cook to meet with Jokowi also said that Apple would consider the request.

"That's one of our requests too, I have conveyed it too, they also have their own considerations," Budi said at a separate press conference on the same day.

According to Budi, in a year in 2023, there will be 49 million cellphones (HP) produced in Indonesia. Meanwhile, there are 2.8 million imported cellphones, of which 85 percent are Apple products.

"That means almost 2 million more, yes, we import directly. We have conveyed this figure in Indonesia, is it in this position, do you not want to make a factory in Indonesia? And this figure may be more. So later Apple will be happy, we (Indonesian people) are also happy," he said further.

In addition, Jokowi's other request is to build an Apple Store in Indonesia. Because it is known that until now, Indonesians who want to buy Apple products are still through the Reseller Authorizer.

"There are five resellers, that's also one of the requests, I have also conveyed one of them, we have discussed everything, hopefully," he concluded.

On the other hand, Budi also said, currently of the 360 components on the smartphone (iPhone), Apple only uses two components made in Indonesia, compared to Vietnam using 72 components.

"So the president said that Apple should increase Indonesia's role in the global supply chain and Apple welcome it," said Budi Arie, giving an explanation.