Indonesian Minister of Industry, Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, said that the government continues to push for Apple Inc.’s commitment to build a factory in Indonesia.
This was conveyed by the minister after accompanying President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in a meeting with CEO of Apple Inc. Tim Cook at the Merdeka Palace on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
GUS affirmed that the topic was discussed UPON consideration that the industry in Indonesia already has a complete ecosystem for mobile phone components.
“That [commitment to build a factory] is also what we want to push. Actually, the components of mobile phones are already available in Indonesia. The batteries, cables, and others, we will try business matching with Apple to see if they can use products from domestic sources that we already have,” Agus told reporters.
On the other hand, CEO of Apple Inc. Tim Cook expressed a commitment to increase investment activities and quality cooperation from his company to establish a presence in Indonesia.
“We talked about the President’s [Jokowi’s] desire to realize many factories in this country [Indonesia], and from that conversation, it is something we will consider [to build a factory here],” Tim Cook told reporters at the Presidential Palace complex.
The Apple CEU affirmed that Indonesia is indeed an important market for his company, while referring to the significant consumer base interested in their products.
Therefore, he said, they will continue to explore and communicate to realize cooperation between the company and Indonesia.
Considering the investment potential, Cook said, Indonesia has a bright future for his company.
“I think the investment potential in Indonesia is huge. I think there are many good places to invest, and we want to invest, we believe in this country,” he said.
Cook hopes to have the opportunity to communicate with the Head of State again to emphasize their commitment to investment cooperation.
“I think we had a pleasant conversation, and I really appreciate the time with him [Jokowi]. It was a dialogue about the potential in this country and our commitment to realizing it,” he concluded.