REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SILICON VALLEY -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has appealed to Facebook to support the development and efforts to realize the vision of transforming Indonesia into the largest digital economy in Southeast Asia, worth US$130 billion in 2020.
"The government of Indonesia welcomes the contribution of Facebook in the development of Indonesia's economy and digital culture," Jokowi told CEO Facebook Mark Zuckerberg during his visit to Silicon Valley on Wednesday local time.
Jokowi stated that digital economy in Indonesia was triggered by the development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
To this end, Indonesia has prepared a medium- and long-term action plan for promoting digital economy, with focus on accelerating the provision of digital access for SMEs.
It involved several policies to encourage the growth of technology entrepreneurs (technopreneurs), attract more IT investors, and provide financial access for Indonesian SMEs.
Jokowi stated that the Indonesian government had also outlined a policy, which encourages innovations such as a national program to create one thousand technopreneurs and to provide protection for start-up IT entrepreneurs.
In accordance with those programs, Indonesia has appealed to Facebook to offer education to Indonesia's new IT developers.
"I hope Facebook would support Indonesia's efforts to empower the digital economy for SMEs," Jokowi stated.
On the occasion, President Jokowi also said he had called on the US and ASEAN leaders to empower the agents of peace during the US-ASEAN Summit, which was held in Sunnylands on Feb 15-16.
To this end, the president was keen that Facebook should help deliver the message of peace.
"I urge Facebook to increase the spread of the message of tolerance, moderation, and peace," Jokowi affirmed.
At the Facebook office, President Jokowi and First Lady Iriana Widodo had the opportunity to meet and speak to Facebook's Indonesian employees and to observe the Oculus Virtual Reality demonstration site.
Before leaving, he wrote a short message of "Peacefully Together in Harmony" on Facebook's Wall.
