Google plans to open branch office in Indonesia

Google’s Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt is visiting Jakarta and met with the Indonesian Vice President Boediono and Minister of Communication Tifatul Sembiring on Friday, 22 July 2011 to discuss collaboration between Google and the Indonesian government regarding investment and expansion of the business; this is proposed by investing USD $ 57.5 million towards these efforts.

Tifatul Sembiring announced to journalists from the Vice President State Palace: “Google has observed the Indonesian economic development and of course, Indonesia has a huge number of Internet active users. Most of the users are Google ‘addicts’.”

Google’s chairman said that the company will open an Indonesian branch office soon. Tifatul added that the exact time for Google to openthis office has not been decided upon but one of the points from the Memorandum of Understanding is concern regarding helping the development of Indonesia’s micro economic enterprises.

“For example, Indonesia has 36 million Facebook users and at number two for the biggest users from all over the world; that is why the first step from Google is to make a search engine in the Indonesian language”, said Tifatul Sembiring.

Last, the minister explained: “It will be very soon, the minister of co-operative and micro economy is joining the meeting; there will be a creative content for software development and to promote Indonesia’s micro economy abroad.”

Uniquely, Google’s chairman arrived at the State Palace in a public taxi, an unusual vehicle to enter the secure area.  And Eric Schmidt was also wearing Batik because this is what government staff wear every Friday in Indonesia.