Han Revanda, Jakarta – Minister of Industry Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita said that Apple Inc.'s investment commitment of US$1 billion, equivalent to Rp16.14 trillion (at an exchange rate of Rp16,146.25 per US dollar), is still relatively small compared to the tech giant's total sales within Indonesia, which he estimated at around Rp32 trillion.
"US$1 billion, as a figure for Apple, compared to the four principles of fairness and compared to Apple's total sales in Indonesia, which are recorded at approximately Rp32 trillion, is small," Agus Gumiwang told reporters at the Ministry of Industry Office in Jakarta on Monday, January 6, 2025.
The four principles referenced by Agus Gumiwang include a comparison of Apple's investments in other countries, investments made by other mobile phones, handheld computer, and tablet (HKT) manufacturers in Indonesia, the added value and revenue generated for Indonesia, and the number of jobs created within the ecosystem.
The Minister of Industry emphasized that the most crucial aspect of Apple's investment plan is job creation, suggesting that this could be achieved through the establishment of a manufacturing facility in Indonesia. However, he declined to disclose the specific number of jobs targeted to be created by Apple's investment.
The Ministry of Industry has been inviting Apple to engage in direct discussions in Indonesia for the past two months. A response was finally received this week, with negotiations scheduled to take place between Tuesday, January 7, 2025, and Wednesday, January 8, 2025.