the digital

komodo dragon:
how indonesia can capture
the digital trade opportunity
at home and abroad
Important Notice on Contents

This research employs a broad definition of “digital trade” which covers the production,
distribution, marketing, sale or delivery of goods and services – domestically and abroad –
supported by cross-border data flows. As international trade increasingly spills into the digital
sphere with potentially huge economic benefits for economies, developing a knowledge base
around the topic of digital trade becomes ever critical. This report serves to inform:

ҊҊ Governments and policy makers to take into account the importance of digital trade for both
the external and domestic economies when formulating trade and economic policy;

ҊҊ Businesses in harnessing the opportunities afforded by digital trade in the form of increased
exposure to overseas markets and uplifting productivity at home;

ҊҊ Industry groups in recognising the nature and magnitude of economic benefits that digital
trade could bring about to different sectors, and champion these in their outreach efforts.

This report was prepared by the Hinrich Foundation with analytical support from AlphaBeta. All
information in this report is derived from AlphaBeta analysis using both proprietary research
and publicly available data. Where information has been obtained from third-party sources, this
is clearly referenced in the footnotes.

The Hinrich Foundation believes sustainable and mutually beneficial global trade creates positive engagement
between people and nations, and supports sustainable development. The Foundation initiates and supports
factual, balanced research that advances the understanding of sustainable global trade.

AlphaBeta is a strategy and economic advisory business

serving clients across Australia and Asia from offices in
Singapore, Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.
contents
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 07

1. THE VALUE AT HOME FROM DIGITAL TRADE 12

Understanding how digital trade impacts day-to-day operations 14
The economic value of digital trade for domestic sectors 16

2. THE VALUE OF DIGITAL EXPORTS FOR INDONESIA 22

The value of Indonesia's digital exports 24
Digitally-enabled products 26
Digitally-enabled services 28
Indirect digital services 29

3. CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY 30
Perceived concerns related to digital trade 32
Priorities for action 38
THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY
FOR INDONESIA
VALUE OF DIGITAL TRADE FOR
INDONESIA’S DOMESTIC ECONOMY1

Digital trade currently enables By 2030, digital trade will Potential benefits are spread across
enable an estimated all sectors of the Indonesian
UP TO IDR 125 TRILLION economy, but particularly relevant in
of economic impact in IDR 2,305 TRILLION
Indonesia’s domestic economy. of economic value for AGRICULTURE & FOOD,
Indonesia’s domestic economy.
INFRASTRUCTURE,
CONSUMER & RETAIL,
AND RESOURCES.

VALUE OF DIGITAL TRADE FOR

INDONESIA'S EXPORTS2

1%
Indonesia has Digital goods and services By 2030,
8 DIGITAL STARTUPS accounted for only Indonesia’s digital exports could

PER 1 MILLION PEOPLE, 1 PERCENT GROW BY 768%.

a higher ratio than Japan of Indonesia's total export value
(6 per 1 million people). in 2017.

THREE IMPERATIVES FOR

CAPTURING THE OPPORTUNITY

PROMOTE
INNOVATION-ORIENTED

1 2 3
APPROACHES TO COPYRIGHT
ENSURING OPEN AND INTERMEDIARY MINIMISING
DATA FLOWS LIABILITY REGULATIONS BORDER FRICTIONS

1. This refers to economic value created by cross-border data flows for the domestic economy, and is estimated in terms of consumer surplus, productivity gains and
cost savings.
2. This refers to the value of exports of digital goods and services, which consists of: revenue from overseas digital downloads of local apps, sales of products to overseas
markets through cross-border e-commerce platforms, services provided using digital technologies and imported digital services that get used in the export of other
products and services.
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 7

executive
summary
Indonesia has developed an ambitious agenda to biggest beneficiaries coming from outside the
fully capture the benefits of digital technologies for digital sector. Digital trade enables Indonesian
individuals, businesses and start-ups. President Joko firms to achieve cost efficiencies (from storage
Widodo has stated that Indonesia aims to become of data), enter new markets and generate richer
Southeast Asia's largest digital economy by 2020.1 insights from data. It supports collaboration
Digital trade (see Box 1 for the definition) will be crucial (particularly where Indonesia may have skill gaps),
for achieving this vision. The amount of cross-border enables adoption of efficient business practices
bandwidth that is used has grown 45 times since 2005. (such as allowing consumers real-time access
This is projected to increase by an additional nine to their bank accounts even when abroad), and
times over the next five years as flows of information, supports management of global supply chains (e.g.
searches, communication, video, transactions and tracking of export containers using Internet of
intra-company traffic continue to surge.2 Digital trade is Things technology). Today, the economic value of
thus crucial not only as a way to increase and diversify digital trade-enabled benefits to the Indonesian
Indonesia’s export base, but also for helping Indonesian economy is estimated to be worth IDR 125 trillion
firms leverage digital technologies across every sector of (US$9 billion), which is equivalent to 0.9 percent
the economy. of its GDP, paling in comparison with neighbouring
countries such as Malaysia for which the equivalent
Yet, the importance of digital trade in helping Indonesia figure is 2 percent. If digital trade is fully leveraged,
achieve this vision has received limited attention to date. it is estimated that the value to Indonesia’s
Traditional economic metrics have failed to keep pace domestic sectors could grow by more than 18-
with the rapid growth of the digital economy and there is fold to reach IDR 2,305 trillion (US$172 billion)
currently a lack of robust data measuring the importance by 2030.
of digital trade for exports or for the domestic economy.
This report aims to address these gaps by providing • Digital exports account for only 1 percent of
new data on the importance of digital trade, both Indonesia’s total export value today, but this value
for Indonesia’s domestic economy and exports, and could grow rapidly in the right conditions. The
recommendations for how Indonesia can fully exploit the export value of virtual goods and services enabled
benefits of digital trade as it seeks to become a leading by the digital economy, such as e-commerce,
digital nation. account for IDR 28 trillion (US$2 billion) in exports
today. Constituting only 1 percent of Indonesia’s
Our key findings include (Exhibit 1): total export value, this value is relatively low even
as compared against neighbouring economies.
• Digital trade can create huge positive impact for For example, though the size of Indonesia’s GDP
Indonesia’s domestic economy, with some of the is three times as large as Malaysia’s, the value of

1. Indonesia’s information minister Rudiantara, reported by Reuters, March 7, 2016 - http://www.reuters.com/article/indonesia-retail-idUSJ9N14Y02J

2. McKinsey Global Institute (2016), Digital globalization: The new era of global flows.
Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/digital-mckinsey/our-insights/digital-globalization-the-new-era-of-global-flows
8 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

its digital exports is less than a third of Malaysia’s. to capture the digital opportunity. There is the
Nonetheless, in the absence of barriers to digital opportunity for Indonesia to play a leading role,
trade, it is estimated that Indonesia’s digital exports not only at home, but also abroad in pushing for
could grow by 768 percent from today’s levels to facilitative digital trade rules in its various bilateral
reach IDR 240 trillion (US$18 billion) in 2030. and multilateral trade negotiations.

• To achieve the maximum returns to digital trade The report is structured into three chapters. Chapter
in future, it is imperative to consider reducing 1 examines the current and potential impact of digital
digital trade barriers today. Policymakers in trade at home and quantifies the economic value of
Indonesia and across the Asia Pacific are rushing technological gains enabled by digital trade. Chapter
to develop regulations for the digital economy. 2 assesses the current and future potential value of
While Indonesia has made some promising reforms digital exports for the Indonesian economy. Chapter
(such as the raising of the de minimis thresholds 3 highlights some of the concerns related to digital
on inbound shipments), proposed data localisation trade and how they can be addressed, and identifies
requirements and the imposition of custom duties the priorities for Indonesia to capture the digital
on digital imports could significantly impact trade opportunity.
data flows and undermine the country’s ability
 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 9

Exhibit 1:
INDONESIA IS ALREADY REAPING SIGNIFICANT VALUE FROM
DIGITAL TRADE, BUT THE FUTURE VALUE COULD BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER

TOTAL ECONOMIC VALUE FROM

DIGITAL TRADE

+
Value of digital
SOURCES Value of
flows to the
OF VALUE digital exports
domestic economy

The value of digital flows

for creating positive
The value of export of
economic impact in
virtual goods (e.g., apps,
the domestic economy
digital content) and
DESCRIPTION through supporting
of physical products
adoption of digital
enabled by digital
technologies, including
(e.g., e-commerce)
in traditional sectors (e.g.
manufacturing, agriculture)

Digital trade enables up 11th largest export

VALUE TODAY to IDR 125 trillion of sector in the Indonesian
(2017) economic value in the economy, worth
domestic economy IDR 28 trillion

Potential for digital Potential for digital

FUTURE
trade to enable up to exports to grow by
POTENTIAL
IDR 2,305 trillion of 768 percent by 2030,
(2030)
economic value worth IDR 240 trillion

SOURCE: AlphaBeta analysis

Box 1.
Defining digital trade and its components
At present, there is no consensus about the meaning • Trade in digitally-enabled products and
of digital trade. Part of what makes defining digital services. There are three components to this:
trade difficult is the rapidly changing nature of the a) Digitally-enabled products; b) digitally-
digital economy. Different definitions have been used enabled services; c) indirect digital services.
by various international organisations. The World For the purpose of this research, the value of
Trade Organisation (WTO) has generally employed exports in these components are estimated:
the term “electronic commerce” rather than “digital
trade”, defining it as “the production, distribution, 1. Digitally-enabled products. These refer
marketing, sale or delivery of goods and services by to physical and digitised products that
electronic means”.3 The definition used by the United are traded electronically via the Internet,
States International Trade Commission (USITC) is e.g. overseas digital downloads of local
broader and includes the provision of e-commerce apps, or sales of physical products to
platforms and related services, but excludes the value overseas markets through cross-border
of sales of physical goods ordered online, as well as e-commerce platforms.7
physical goods that have a digital counterpart (such
as books, movies, music, and software sold on CDs 2. Digitally-enabled services. These refer
or DVDs).4 The United Nations Economic and Social to services that are provided using digital
Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) technologies. This is a large category
recognises that while the narrowest definition of because most industry sectors have
“digital trade” is “trade in digitised products” (i.e. adopted digital technologies and sell
trade in products with digital elements such as films e-services to varying degrees. This includes
and e-books, and in digital services such as IT and online advertising (viewed from abroad),
telecommunication services), a broader definition digital IT-BPO8 services and the export
relates to “the use of digital technologies (ICTs) to of data processing and online software
conduct business”.5 consultancy services. It also includes trade
in other direct e-services such as online
This research employs a broad definition of “digital tourism booking and electronic banking;
trade” which covers the production, distribution, however, these categories are currently
marketing, sale or delivery of goods and services – not able to be measured in a robust
domestically and abroad – supported by cross-border manner due to the lack of granularity in
data flows. This consists of (a) trade in digitally- available data.
enabled products and services, and (b) cross-border
data flows that create economic value in the 3. Indirect digital services (embedded in
domestic economy. Both components of digital trade other exports). These refer to imported
are analysed in this report:6 digital services that get used in the export

3. UNESCAP (2016), Internal trade in a digital age. Available at: http://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/aptir-2016-ch7.pdf

4. U.S. International Trade Commission (2017), Global Digital Trade 1: Market Opportunities and Key Foreign Trade Restrictions.
Available at: https://www.usitc.gov/publications/332/pub4716.pdf.
5. UNESCAP (2016), Internal trade in a digital age. Available at: http://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/aptir-2016-ch7.pdf
6. The detailed methodology is explained in an accompanying methodology document, which can be found on the Hinrich Foundation website
(http://hinrichfoundation.com/trade-research/).
7. This research defines cross-border e-commerce platforms as Internet-enabled platforms that facilitate the selling and buying of products and services
across national borders, where the seller and buyer are in different countries. This includes both B2B and B2C e-commerce. However, the analysis in this
research focuses largely on B2C e-commerce due to the availability of existing data.
8. IT-BPO stands for Information Technology-Business Processing Outsourcing. This refers to the contracting of non-primary business activities and functions
with digital components to a third-party provider. Examples of IT-BPO services include payroll administration, data management and customer/call
centre relations.
 of other products and services. Examples reasons including business processing (e.g.
include telecommunication services such international supply chain data used to guide
as email, video conferencing, digital file inventory stocking decisions at a company’s
sharing, and Voice Over Internet Protocol retail stores worldwide) and operational
(VOIP) services that are used by a mining efficiency improvements (e.g. data flows
firm exporting overseas. enabling Internet banking functions overseas so
that consumers wishing to access bank accounts
• Cross-border data flows. This does not from abroad can do so). This research estimates
reflect ‘international trade’ in its conventional the economic impacts cross-border data flows
sense, i.e. transactions involving the exchange create for the domestic economy. These are not
of goods and services for money, that are represented in terms of GDP or market size, but
conducted between two parties located in rather in terms of economic value, which relates
different countries. Rather, cross-border to consumer surplus, productivity gains and cost
data flows entail the exchange of data across savings. Six key channels (which are discussed
national borders that create economic value, further in Chapter 1) have been identified
but which may not necessarily be associated by which digital trade supported by cross-
with monetary transactions nor interaction border data flows is important for boosting
between two parties (in many cases, it involves productivity, creating new revenue streams, or
exchanges within the same company). Cross- lowering costs in the domestic economy.
border data flows take place for a variety of
the value at home
from digital trade
MEASURES OFTHE
SUCCESS:
VALUE AT
HOWHOME
AREFROM
COUNTRIES
DIGITALFARING?
TRADE 13

Digital trade is supporting up to

IDR 125 trillion (US$9.3 billion)
of economic benefits in Indonesia
today through enabling digital
technologies that increase worker
productivity, lower costs and create
new sources of revenue. This is
equivalent to just 0.9 percent
of Indonesia’s GDP, suggesting
untapped potential considering
other ASEAN economies such
as Malaysia are experiencing
economic benefits of about 2
percent of their GDP. The relatively
low penetration rates of these
digital technologies today suggests
large potential for higher impact
in the future. By 2030, this could
grow by more than eighteen-
fold, reaching IDR 2,305 trillion
(US$172 billion).
14 THE VALUE AT HOME FROM DIGITAL TRADE

UNDERSTANDING HOW DIGITAL TRADE

IMPACTS DAY-TO-DAY OPERATIONS
This research adopts a broad definition of “digital • Supporting collaboration. Some activities may be
trade” which relates to cross-border data flows, i.e. the particularly complex, and the sharing of data across
exchange of data across national borders that create borders enables better collaboration between
economic value (see Box 1 for the detailed definition). In talents. This could include talent for the analysis of
this chapter, the economic impacts which cross-border data or it could relate to the use of human-guided
data flows create for Indonesia’s domestic economy have robotics. For example, remote robotic surgery
been estimated. To do this, six key channels have been allows complex operations to be completed even
identified through which digital trade is important for when those surgeons may not be in the same
boosting productivity or lowering costs for Indonesian country. A further example is how cross-border data
sectors (Exhibit 2). flows can enable researchers around the world to
share insights, design experiments and analyse the
• Identifying and entering new markets. New digital results in a collaborative and real‐time manner.11
tools ranging from simple internet search engines
to cloud computing, which are heavily reliant on • Enabling richer insights. Used the right way, data
cross-border data flows, can boost the export can help companies improve products and make
capabilities of firms, particularly micro, small and more informed business decisions. Analysis of the
medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). This allows simplest datasets can lead to robust insights that
these firms to operate with ease across geographies inform important business decisions. For example,
and tap into international supply chains, compete data on warehouse and point-of-sales inventory
with larger exporters, and connect with consumers, can allow retailers to optimise re-stocking through
suppliers, and investors across the globe. Analysis better forecasting of production and shipment
by the Asia Pacific MSME Trade Coalition (AMTC) needs, which could lead to increased sales.
estimates that digital tools could lower export costs
of an average MSME by as much as 82 percent and • Introducing more efficient business practices.
reduce time involved in exporting for MSMEs by up Digital trade can be a critical enabler of greater
to 29 percent.9 operational efficiency for businesses. This could
include providing greater accessibility of data for
• Reducing cost and increasing speed of data clients across geographies (for example, Indonesian
storage, processing and access. High data consumers wishing to access their bank accounts
generation is more likely to lead to cross-border from overseas), enabling digital platforms to
flows, in part due to storage requirements. For conduct routine operations such as collection and
example, data processing is 5 to 7 percent of exchange of data, and outsourcing operations to
the total input costs in sectors such as financial locations with a comparative advantage in the
services.10 Related to this, storing data in a provision of required services.
number of geographic locations can enhance
recovery management.

9. Asia Pacific MSME Trade Coalition (2018), Micro-Revolution: The new stakeholders of trade in APAC.
10. Matthias Bauer et al. (2014), The costs of data localization: Friendly fire on economic recovery, European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE).
Available at: http://www.ecipe.org/app/uploads/2014/12/OCC32014__1.pdf
11. Joshua Paul Meltzer (2014), “The Internet, Cross-Border Data Flows and International Trade”, Asia & the Pacific Policy Studies, vol. 2, no. 1.
Available at: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/app5.60
 THE VALUE AT HOME FROM DIGITAL TRADE 15

Exhibit 2:
DIGITAL TRADE SUPPORTS PRODUCTIVITY, GROWTH AND COST EFFICIENCY
THROUGH SIX MAIN CHANNELS

Identifying Enabling
and entering richer
new markets insights

Reducing cost
and increasing Introducing
speed of more efficient
data storage, business
processing practices
and access

Creating and
Supporting streamlining
collaboration global value
chains

"
• Creating and streamlining global value chains.
Digital data flows can help create efficiencies This research adopts a
in real-time monitoring and decision-making broad definition of 'digital
to support global value chains. For example,
trade' which relates to
businesses are able to receive customer orders
in real time and adjust production processes
cross-border data flows,
accordingly. Likewise, Internet of Things (IoT) i.e. the exchange of data
monitoring of the transit of goods across countries across national borders that

"
enables better control over supply chains, creating
create economic value.
significant logistical benefits.
16 THE VALUE AT HOME FROM DIGITAL TRADE

THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF DIGITAL

TRADE FOR DOMESTIC SECTORS
To understand the economic value of digital trade this number may seem substantial, it is equivalent to only
for Indonesia’s domestic sectors, a set of relevant 0.9 percent of Indonesia’s GDP, paling in comparison
technological applications for different sectors of with economies such as Malaysia where the economic
the Indonesian economy were identified based on an value from digital trade is equivalent to about 2 percent
extensive review of the academic literature (Exhibit 3).12 of its GDP. Indonesia faces a critical opportunity to
The importance of digital trade was then assessed for rein in more of this value by reducing the barriers to
each technological application, based on factors related digital trade. In addition, low technology penetration
to the six channels highlighted above, including (a) the rates today mean there is great untapped potential for
volume of data generated (requiring more efficient Indonesia. If digital trade is fully leveraged, it is estimated
storage requirements); (b) the scale requirements to draw that the economic value to Indonesia’s domestic sectors
insights (which cross-border data flows can facilitate could increase by more than eighteen-fold to as much as
by enabling pooling of data); (c) the complexity of the IDR 2,305 trillion by 2030 (Exhibit 4).
activity (and hence the potential need for cross-border
collaboration); and (d) whether the activity to which Some of the main opportunities and examples by
the technology is being applied is itself cross-border sector include:13
in nature.
• Agriculture and Food. Although this sector is
The value of these applications was sized both for 2017 Indonesia’s largest employer (accounting for 41
and 2030. Economic value supported by digital trade percent of its workforce), Indonesian farms fall
across the major sectors in the Indonesian economy is behind their Southeast Asian peers in terms of
estimated to be up to IDR 125 trillion in 2017. Though productivity and yield.14 By enabling international

12. The detailed methodology is explained in an accompanying methodology document, which can be found on the Hinrich Foundation website
(http://hinrichfoundation.com/trade-research/).
13. The descriptions below only include a subset of the total technologies analysed in this research. See the methodology document for a more extensive discussion of
the analysis, which can be found on the Hinrich Foundation website (http://hinrichfoundation.com/trade-research/).
14. Far Eastern Agriculture (2015), “Bringing big data to farming in Indonesia.”
Available at: http://www.fareasternagriculture.com/technology/machinery-a-equipment/bringing-big-data-to-farming-in-indonesia
 THE VALUE AT HOME FROM DIGITAL TRADE 17

collaboration between talents through the sharing artificial intelligence platforms to enhance the
of data across borders, digital trade is important for efficiency of customer-facing platforms in 14
increasing value-adding information to local farmers markets across Asia.17 This service allowed
and in turn help them increase yields, minimise Tokopedia to increase their monthly transaction
waste, and boost revenue for Indonesian farmers. volume by up to 202 percent, leading to month-on-
For example, local data analytics firm Dattabot month revenue increases of up to 179 percent.18
partnered with Predix, an international cloud-based Beyond increasing the company’s sales, the benefits
platform designed to store and process industrial- also extend to the 5 million local small-to-medium
scale amounts of data, as well as with General enterprises that Tokopedia facilitates selling for
Electric (GE) Digital which provided technical through its platform.19 This service has enabled
expertise to the app development process. Through local merchants to send millions of products per
this process, it developed HARA – a smart farming month to customers across Indonesia, in turn also
solution designed to help Indonesian farmers creating more jobs across the nation.20 By enabling
improve yields by providing data-driven insights cross-border data exchanges, digital trade is crucial
into farm and field potential, input and supply for enhancing the productivity of Indonesia’s
management and the proactive mitigation of pests e-commerce players and unlocking more domestic
and disease.15 economic activity and jobs.

• Consumer & Retail. Indonesia is the largest • Infrastructure. Technologies such as predictive
e-commerce market in the ASEAN region and is maintenance of utilities, smart ports and smart
projected to grow at a staggering 38 percent per roads are key to driving efficiencies in this
annum. Local players are also leading the charge, sector. PT Pembangkitan Jawa-Bali (PJB), the
including enterprises such as Tokopedia and largest subsidiary of Indonesia’s national power
Bukalapak.16 Such enterprises leverage international utility, is leveraging General Electric’s digital
digital platforms and services to enhance their asset performance analytics and operations
customer offerings. For example, Tokopedia uses optimisation system to enhance the efficiency of
the services of Appier, a company which provides their assets.21 Data will be sent from PJB to remote

15. General Electric (2017), “Databot and GE work together to secure the future of agriculture in Indonesia”.
Available at: https://www.ge.com/digital/sites/default/files/download_assets/Dattabot-GE-Predix-case-study.pdf
16. Frost and Sullivan (2016), Analysis of Southeast Asian e-commerce market. Available at: http://www.frost.com/sublib/display-report.do?id=P8F7-01-00-00-00&bd
ata=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS5zZy9AfkBCYWNrQH5AMTUzMjY2NTAzNDMyNA%3D%3D
17. Appier Company Profile. Available at: https://www.appier.com/en/corporate.html
18. Appier, “Success story: A growing Asian brand”. Available at: https://www.appier.com/en/caseDetailTokopedia.html
19. Shweta Modgil (2017), “How Tokopedia aims to better shape Indonesia by becoming Indonesia’s Taobao.” Inc42.
Available at: https://inc42.com/indonesia/tokopedia-ecommerce-indonesia/
20. Demystify Asia (2016), “Tokopedia – Indonesia’s largest online marketplace.” Available at: http://www.demystifyasia.com/tokopedia/
21. General Electric (2017), “PJB spearheads digital energy for Indonesia with deployment of GE digital power plant software.”
Available at: https://www.ge.com/reports/digital-power-solutions-help-indonesia-save-us1-billion-annually-2/
18 THE VALUE AT HOME FROM DIGITAL TRADE

Exhibit 3:
EXAMPLES OF RELEVANT TECHNOLOGIES BY SECTOR IN INDONESIA

• Smart exploration • Predictive safety

Resources • Autonomous • Performance monitoring
mining equipment

• Big data analytics • Reg tech

Financial
Services • Digitising marketing, • Financial inclusion through
distribution and service mobile payments

Agriculture • Precision farming • Food safety

& Food • Supply chain management • Real-time market information

• Big data analytics

Manufacturing • Additive manufacturing
• IoT-enabled supply chain management

• Remote patient monitoring • Detection of

counterfeit drugs
• Telehealth
Health
• Smart medical devices
• Data-based public
health Interventions • AI-enabled diagnostics

• Smart grids • Smart buildings

• 5D BIM & project • Smart roads
Infrastructure
management technologies
• Smart ports
• Predictive maintenance

• Digitising channels
Consumer
• Inventory management
& Retail
• Analytics-driven products and services

• E-career centres and digital jobs platforms

Education
• Personalised learning
& Training
• Online retraining programmes
 THE VALUE AT HOME FROM DIGITAL TRADE 19

Exhibit 4:
DIGITAL TRADE IS SUPPORTING UP TO IDR 125 TRILLION OF
ECONOMIC BENEFITS IN INDONESIA, WHICH COULD GROW TO
IDR 2,305 TRILLION BY 2030
POTENTIAL ANNUAL ECONOMIC VALUE 1 2
IDR TRILLION, 2017 AND 2030 (HIGH-END SCENARIO)

THE POTENTIAL ECONOMIC VALUE IN 2017 Additions in 2030

2030 IS EQUIVALENT TO 9% OF
INDONESIA'S PROJECTED GDP
101
98
143
3 2,305
178 126
3
176
2

235

201
272 35

258
289 14

275 2,180
539 14

524

548 14

520

27 125
Agriculture Consumer Infrastructure Resources Financial Manufacturing Education Health Total
& Food & Retail Services & Training

1. These estimates do not represent GDP or market size (revenue), but rather economic value, including consumer surplus. The sizing includes the economic value that is both
“somewhat enabled” and “highly enabled” by digital trade.
2. Due to rounding to the nearest billion, the numbers in this table may not add up precisely to the totals indicated.
SOURCE: AlphaBeta analysis
20 THE VALUE AT HOME FROM DIGITAL TRADE

monitoring, diagnostics and optimisation centres ownership and active remittance market, there
for processing and analytics, before algorithm- is great potential for digital financial services
based recommendations are sent to the individual and mobile money that offer greater reliability
power plants in real-time. This has the potential of transfers and low transactional fees in the
to reduce energy losses by up to 3 percent, Indonesian market.25 According to InterMedia’s
generating annual savings of up to US$1 billion Financial Inclusion Insights survey, 21 percent of
for Indonesia.22 Digital trade is crucial for many of Indonesians who needed credit said they could not
these infrastructure-related technologies due to access it because they did not know of a proximate
the need for cross-border data flows (for remote point of service.26 For these digital financial and
data aggregation and analytics), the large volume of mobile money services to boost penetration rates,
data generated (requiring cost-efficient and secure digital trade is critical for helping to lower the
storage), and the need for collaboration and cross- costs of storing high volumes of sensitive data in a
border monitoring (for example, in the tracking secure fashion, and due to the cross-border flows
of containers). of remittances and payments, with data needing to
move seamlessly across countries.
• Resources. Though Indonesia is endowed with
vast energy and mineral reserves such as oil, gas, • Manufacturing. The Indonesian government
coal, tin and geothermal resources, a substantial aims to encourage greater adoption of digital
proportion of this remains untapped.23 Smart technologies to boost its manufacturing industry’s
exploration approaches drawing on big data have competitiveness through its recent launch of its
the potential to uncover more opportunities in ‘Making Indonesia 4.0‘ industry roadmap, which
Indonesia’s resource landscape, while technologies it hopes will help create 10 million new jobs by
such as autonomous drills and predictive 2030.27 Digital trade is essential to enabling this
maintenance and safety applications will augment digital revolution by enabling seamless monitoring
productivity in drawing from existing reserves. of cross-border supply chains and leveraging global
Digital trade is crucial for technologies in the collaboration to optimise production processes.
resources sector due to the need for cost efficient
data gathering and storage solutions, as well as the • Education & Training. Digital technologies hold the
need to access global talent to analyse data. promise of enhancing the quality of instruction,
improving the productivity of teaching and support
• Financial Services. Indonesia has one of the lowest staff, and enhancing the matching of labour demand
rates of financial inclusion today, with less than and supply. Digital job platforms can potentially
50 percent of its adult population being banked.24 boost Indonesia’s GDP by 2.2 percentage points
Although brick-and-mortar banks continue to be and create over 3.8 million jobs by 2030 by
the key driver of financial inclusion today, given reducing search costs and enhancing the efficiency
Indonesia’s geographical spread, high mobile of job matches.28 At 6 million users as of July 2018,

22. General Electric (2017), “PJB spearheads digital energy for Indonesia with deployment of GE digital power plant software.”
Available at: https://www.ge.com/reports/digital-power-solutions-help-indonesia-save-us1-billion-annually-2/
23. McKinsey Global Institute (2012), The archipelago economy: Unleashing Indonesia's potential.
Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/asia-pacific/the-archipelago-economy
24. Data from The Global Findex Database 2017. Available at: https://globalfindex.worldbank.org/
25. InterMedia (2017), Financial inclusion in Indonesia: Lessons from the 2016 FII data.
Available at: http://finclusion.org/blog/fii-updates/financial-inclusion-in-indonesia-lessons-from-the-2016-fii-data.html
26. InterMedia (2017), Financial inclusion in Indonesia: Lessons from the 2016 FII data.
Available at: http://finclusion.org/blog/fii-updates/financial-inclusion-in-indonesia-lessons-from-the-2016-fii-data.html
27. Julien Hanoteau and Virginie Vial (2018), “‘Making Indonesia 4.0’ and supporting digital startups is good, but what about the small low-tech entrepreneurs?”
The Conversation. Available at: https://theconversation.com/making-indonesia-4-0-and-supporting-digital-startups-is-good-but-what-about-the-small-low-tech-
entrepreneurs-93863
 THE VALUE AT HOME FROM DIGITAL TRADE 21

Indonesia currently has the second highest number record management.30 The start-up currently serves
of users within Southeast Asia on the professional over a hundred clinics, and is planning to expand
networking portal, LinkedIn, after the Philippines.29 this to over a thousand.31 To achieve this scale,
Digital trade is important for many of these Medigo leverages overseas cloud management
opportunities given the scale benefits from pooling tool ‘Amazon Web Services’ for affordable and
a large number of insights (both in terms of learning reliable data storage and management, as well as
results, but also in cross-border job matching). overseas-based data repository and management
tool ‘Bitbucket’ to coordinate the codes being
• Health. Overseas data management platforms developed by the team across different parts of
enabled by digital trade can support digital Indonesia.32 As co-founder and CEO of Medigo,
solutions that help improve the quality of Mr Harya Bimo, states, “A lot of the collaboration
healthcare services in Indonesia. To improve the in the development of codes are done in an online
efficiency of the small, typically single doctor-run repository outside of Indonesia. Although our
medical clinics which comprise a large proportion developers are based in Indonesia, they are working
of healthcare services in Indonesia, local start- in different regions – Malang, Yogyakarta and
up Medigo developed a web and mobile-based Jakarta. Having this online repository that manages
application to automate and streamline workflows simultaneous coding processes greatly increases
ranging from administrative doctor scheduling and our productivity.” 33
patient registration processes to drug and patient

28. McKinsey Global Institute (2015), A labor market that works: Connecting talent with opportunity in the digital age. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/
McKinsey/Business%20Functions/McKinsey%20Digital/Our%20Insights/Digital%20globalization%20The%20new%20era%20of%20global%20flows/MGI-Digital-
globalization-Full-report.ashx
29. Data from Statista. Available at: https://www.statista.com/statistics/272783/linkedins-membership-worldwide-by-country/
30. Medigo (2018). Available at: https://medigo.id/qlinik
31. Interview with Mr Harya Bimo, Co-Founder and CEO of Medigo.
32. Interview with Mr Harya Bimo, Co-Founder and CEO of Medigo.
33. Interview with Mr Harya Bimo, Co-Founder and CEO of Medigo.
THE VALUE OF
DIGITAL EXPORTS
FOR indonesia
 THE VALUE OF DIGITAL EXPORTS FOR INDONESIA 23

Indonesia’s digital exports in 2017

are estimated to be worth over
IDR 28 trillion (US$2 billion). This
makes it the country’s 11th largest
export sector, accounting only
for 1.2 percent of its total export
value. This value is relatively low
in comparison with other ASEAN
economies – for example, though
the size of Indonesia’s GDP is three
times as large as Malaysia’s, the
value of its digital exports is less
than a third of Malaysia’s. However,
if digital trade is fully enabled,
Indonesia’s digital exports could
potentially grow more than 8.5x in
value from today’s levels to reach
IDR 240 trillion (US$18 billion).
24 THE VALUE OF DIGITAL EXPORTS FOR INDONESIA

THE VALUE OF INDONESIA’S DIGITAL EXPORTS

There is vast potential for improvement to the value It should be noted that this report’s estimate of the value
of Indonesia’s digital exports today. Estimated to be of digital exports is conservative, due to data constraints.
currently worth IDR 28 trillion, these exports are For digitally-enabled products, the value of products
equivalent to only 1 percent of the country’s total export exported via cross-border e-commerce platforms only
value. This is significantly low when compared against focuses on Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and
other ASEAN economies such as Malaysia’s, whose not other categories of goods where e-commerce could
digital exports account for 3 percent of its total export be important, due to the availability of data. Since a
value. Further, although the size of Indonesia’s economy large proportion of FMCG goods are B2C in nature,
is three times as large as Malaysia’s, the value of its the estimate of e-commerce exports would likely
digital exports is less than a third of Malaysia’s. However, approximate the value of B2C e-commerce. Similarly,
it is estimated that the value of Indonesia’s digital the value of digitally-enabled services only focuses on a
exports could grow by 768 percent in 2030, if digital subset of services where robust data is available.
trade is fully leveraged (Exhibit 5).
 THE VALUE OF DIGITAL EXPORTS FOR INDONESIA 25

Exhibit 5:
IF DIGITAL WERE A SECTOR, IT WOULD REPRESENT INDONESIA’S
11TH LARGEST EXPORT SECTOR, AND COULD INCREASE BY
768 PERCENT BY 2030
VALUE OF EXPORTS FOR INDONESIA1

IDR TRILLION, 2017 Digitally-enabled products Other sectors

Digitally-enabled services Indirect digital services

Agricultural products 524

Fuels and mining products 484

Machinery and transport equipment 271

Digital goods and services (2030) 206 17 17 240

+768%
Travel 150

Chemicals 123

Clothing 100

Other business services 72

Textiles 55

Transport 48

Iron and steel 29

3
Digital goods and services (2017) 15 28
10

1. Due to rounding to the nearest billion, the numbers in this table may not add up precisely to the totals indicated.

SOURCE: WTO (data on 19 other sectors); AlphaBeta analysis

26 THE VALUE OF DIGITAL EXPORTS FOR INDONESIA

DIGITALLY-ENABLED PRODUCTS
The value of these exports is currently IDR 2.6 trillion
(US$194 million) and could grow by eighty times the
current value by 2030, reaching IDR 206 trillion (US$15
billion). This huge growth is expected to be driven by
rapidly expanding e-commerce exports due to the
projected growth of e-commerce markets in the region.

• E-commerce. E-commerce platforms can be crucial

gateways to connect firms to export markets
and provide a new source of future growth
for traditional sectors such as manufacturing.
Approximately 12 percent of the global goods trade
is now conducted via international e-commerce,
with much of it driven by platforms such as Alibaba,
Amazon, eBay, Flipkart, and Rakuten.34

The e-commerce export opportunity is substantial.

Data from eBay shows that Indonesian businesses
on their platform are much more likely to be
involved in exporting than those not using the
platform; in fact, 100 percent of Indonesian SMEs
on the eBay platform do so.35

Based on average export revenue data and eBay

data on the proportion of sellers on their platform
who export, it is estimated that e-commerce
generated over IDR 2.6 trillion (US$194 million)
of export revenues for Indonesia in 2017, which
could grow to over IDR 206 trillion (US$15
billion) by 2030 based on the forecasted growth
of e-commerce markets in nearby countries.36
One example of an Indonesian company taking
advantage of the e-commerce export opportunity
is Indonesia-Product.com, the online business

34. McKinsey Global Institute (2016), Digital globalization: The new era of global flows. Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/~/media/McKinsey/Business%20
Functions/McKinsey%20Digital/Our%20Insights/Digital%20globalization%20The%20new%20era%20of%20global%20flows/MGI-Digital-globalization-Full-report.ashx
35. eBay (2016), Small Online Business Growth Report. Available at: https://www.ebaymainstreet.com/sites/default/files/ebay_global-report_2016-4_0.pdf
36. Based on AlphaBeta analysis.
 THE VALUE OF DIGITAL EXPORTS FOR INDONESIA 27

Box 2.
Indonesia-Product.com
Indonesia-Product.com is an online platform
for Indonesian merchants to promote their
websites globally to facilitate sales in foreign
markets. Today, Indonesia-Product.com has over
a thousand members consisting largely of small
businesses whose product offerings range from
furniture, garment, paper, handicraft, food, and
other local Indonesian products.

Phoro source: http://indonesia-product.com/listing/smesco-indonesia.html

directory which is bridging the gap between government issued the ‘E-Commerce Road Map
traditional businesses and digital adopters for the Year of 2017-2019’ to support growth in
(See Box 2). the national e-commerce sector. This sets out
guidelines for consumer protection, logistics,
However, most Indonesian businesses have yet to ICT infrastructure and funding for e-commerce
tap the export opportunity, with less than 7 percent start-ups.40
of them being engaged in exporting in 2015 (versus
11 percent in Malaysia).37 Within Indonesia, only • Digital apps. Indonesian app developers have
2 percent of the country’s total domestic retail largely yet to seize the export opportunity.
sales are currently done via the internet.38 Small However, several success stories do show that
and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), in particular, still innovative Indonesian companies can successfully
face substantial challenges in bridging the gap to compete abroad and create strong export markets
global markets. This is in part due to Indonesia’s for their apps. For example, Inovidea Magna Global
challenging geography, relatively slow internet is an Indonesian mobile app development firm
connection speeds and ICT infrastructure, and low that has been able to penetrate foreign markets.
adoption of cashless payment systems.39 Inovidea’s photo editing app PicMix has been
downloaded globally by more than 5 million users.
To address these issues and maximise the Interestingly, the biggest group of PicMix users,
opportunities from e-commerce, the Indonesian after Indonesia, resided in South Africa.41

37. The Balance – Small Business (2018) Export Potential in Indonesia. Available at: https://www.thebalancesmb.com/export-potential-in-indonesia-1953479; and
World Bank Enterprise Surveys. Available at: http://www.enterprisesurveys.org/Custom-Query
38. AusTrade-Australia Unlimited (2018), E-commerce in Indonesia.
39. Vasundhara Rastogi (2018), “Indonesia’s e-commerce sector – market potential and challenges”.
Available at: https://www.aseanbriefing.com/news/2018/09/06/indonesias-e-commerce-sector-market-potential-challenges.html
40. International Law Financial Review (2016), “Indonesia: e-commerce policy”. Available at: http://www.iflr.com/Article/3647745/Indonesia-E-commerce-policy.html
41. Novia D. Rulistia (2015), “The rise of local app developers.” The Jakarta Post.
Available at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/12/15/the-rise-local-app-developers.html
28 THE VALUE OF DIGITAL EXPORTS FOR INDONESIA

DIGITALLY-ENABLED SERVICES
The value of these exports is currently IDR 15 trillion
(US$1.1 billion) and could grow by 13 percent by 2030,
reaching IDR 17 trillion (US$1.3 billion). This growth
is expected to be largely driven by Indonesia’s digital
infrastructure services exports.

• Digital infrastructure services. This includes

telecommunication services such as the export of
email, video conferencing, digital file sharing, and
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) services as well
as data processing. Indonesia’s digital exports of
infrastructure services in 2017 are estimated to be
IDR 15 trillion (US$1 billion).42

• Online video advertising. With the advent of online

video sharing platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo
and Facebook, Indonesian stories and voices are
finding new global audiences.

The demand for Indonesian content and the

economic opportunities associated with them
is growing. In 2014, 44 percent of the views of
YouTube content uploaded by users in Indonesia
came from outside the country.43 For example,
Raditya Dika, a stand-up comic with a YouTube
channel, is one of the top Indonesian YouTubers
with over 4.3 million subscribers and 550 million
views on his channel.

Online video platforms are estimated to have (US$37 million) in 2030 based on the forecasted
supported over IDR 46 billion (US$3 million) in growth of the digital advertising market.44 This is
advertising revenues from foreign markets for in addition to the large, but difficult to size, value
business in Indonesia in 2017. These revenues of direct digital services exports in industries
reflect the incomes earned by Indonesians from such as tourism (including online ticket booking),
advertisements displayed on their content. This financial services, accounting, law, education and
could potentially grow to over IDR 497 billion even medicine.

42. Based on AlphaBeta analysis.

43. OECD (2016), Economic and social benefits of Internet openness.
Available at: https://www.oecd.org/officialdocuments/publicdisplaydocumentpdf/?cote=DSTI/ICCP(2015)17/FINAL&docLanguage=En
44. Based on AlphaBeta analysis.
 THE VALUE OF DIGITAL EXPORTS FOR INDONESIA 29

Exhibit 6:

COMEDY VLOGGER

• Who: Raditya Dika • Who: Ria Ricis

• Channel: Raditya Dika • Channel: Ricis Official
• Detail: Stand-up comedy • Detail: Vlogs
sessions, skits, vlogs, casual and challenges
interviews with celebrities
• Subscribers: >4.6 million
and reaction videos
• Views: >584 million
• Subscribers: >4.3 million
• Views: >550 million

CELEBRITY GAMES

• Who: Family of 13 • Who: Reza Oktavian

• Channel: GEN HALILINTAR • Channel: rezaoktavian
• Detail: Lifestyle, music, • Detail: Games, music
and challenges
• Subscribers: >2.2 million
• Subscribers: >3.4 million
• Views: >382 million
• Views: >715 million

INDIRECT DIGITAL SERVICES

Imported digital services are crucial for enabling notorious traffic jams. Toyota decided to leverage
the growth of the exports of non-digital sectors. In Microsoft’s cloud technologies (such as SharePoint
traditional sectors such as manufacturing, imported and Skype) to provide more flexible collaboration
digital services, such as email, video conferencing, opportunities through digital technology.45 In 2017,
Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP), digital file sharing the impact of imported digital services on exports in all
and data processing help Indonesian firms in reaching other sectors in Indonesia is estimated at just under IDR
new markets. For instance, Toyota Indonesia’s workers 9 trillion (US$672 million), which could grow to IDR 17
faced significant productivity hurdles due to Jakarta’s trillion (US$1.3 billion) in 2030.46

45. Microsoft (2017), “Toyota Indonesia boosts employee productivity and collaboration.”
Available at: https://customers.microsoft.com/en-us/story/toyota-indonesia-manufacturing-microsoft-services
46. Based on AlphaBeta analysis.
CAPTURING THE
DIGITAL TRADE
OPPORTUNITY
 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY 31

In order to realise the full potential

of digital trade, policy makers
will need to address four areas
of potential concern surrounding
digital trade. The good news is
that all of them are addressable
without needing to unduly restrict
digital trade flows. Indonesia has
an opportunity to ensure a strong
domestic ecosystem for digital
trade and to also play a role in
advocating strongly for digital trade
to remain open in the Asia Pacific
to safeguard the potential benefits
for Indonesian firms.
32 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY

PERCEIVED CONCERNS RELATED TO

DIGITAL TRADE
Governments have increased their constraints on
digital trade in recent years, ranging from data
localisation requirements through to local registration
mandates. Four reasons are often made to justify
such interventions:

1. PRIVACY
Protecting the privacy of citizens

2. SECURITY
Enabling rapid access to data for
law enforcement and safeguarding
national security as well as the
security of users

3. ECONOMIC
Supporting the growth of domestic
digital firms and local jobs

4. FISCAL
Protecting the local tax base

Many of these justifications require critical examination.

Some overlook the fact that the same end objective
could be achieved more efficiently through technological
measures or modernised regulations without
jeopardising the benefits of digital trade.
 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY 33

Concern 1:
Protecting the privacy of citizens and
safeguarding them from inappropriate content
Digitised information requires appropriate privacy to implement data privacy policies consistent with the
safeguards in order to protect citizens and safeguard APEC Privacy Framework.47 These forms of privacy
against nefarious use or interference. There are different protections are solutions that allow cross-border data
ways of addressing legitimate data privacy concerns and flows while safeguarding privacy through interoperable
many can achieve the same objective of safeguarding enforcement mechanisms, providing an ideal
privacy, without unduly impeding data flows. international framework that APAC policymakers could
seek. On the other hand, data localisation requirements
For example, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation could actually increase privacy risks by requiring data to
(APEC) forum established the Cross-Border Privacy be stored in single centralised locations that are more
Rules (CBPR) and Privacy Recognition for Processors vulnerable to intrusion.
(PRP) systems which require participating businesses

Concern 2:
Enabling rapid access to data for law enforcement
and safeguarding national security as well as the
security of users
Cybersecurity concerns may be exacerbated by Cloud providers balance factors ranging from internet
constraints on cross-border digital trade that limit the bandwidth and the likelihood of power outages over
scale of cloud providers (thus potentially impacting available networks to network throughput in order
their ability to ensure appropriate investment in data to optimise systems.48 As one set of researchers
safeguards) and by concentrating data in few locations found, “Requirements to localise data do nothing on
(as opposed to maintaining redundant datasets at their own to make data safer; in fact, they will only
multiple data centres spread across countries). make it impossible for cloud service providers to take
advantage of the Internet’s distributed infrastructure
Modern data storage systems take advantage of and use sharding.” 49
‘sharding’, a type of database partitioning that separates
very large databases the into smaller, faster, more easily Moreover, research has shown that local storage
managed parts called data shards. Sharding assists the providers in fact apply less rigour to data security than
intelligent transmission and storage of data, enabling the global providers as a result of fewer financial resources,
movement and replication of data between data centres less technological expertise, lower competitive need
and across borders in the interests of integrity, efficiency to draw customers and technological restrictions (e.g.
and security. on sharding and the distributed storage of backup

47. For further information, see: http://www.cbprs.org/

48. Urs Holzle (2018), “Freedom of data movement in the cloud era” (Google Blogs).
Available at: https://www.blog.google/products/google-cloud/freedom-data-movement-cloud-era/
49. Patrick Ryan, Sarah Falvey, and Ronak Merchant (2013), “When the cloud goes local: The global problem with data localization”. IEEE Computer Society, Issue
12, Vol. 46. Available at: https://www.computer.org/csdl/mags/co/2013/12/mco2013120054-abs.html
34 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY

"
copies).50 There are also numerous examples of data
For example, the Asia-Pacific localisation creating issues for the resilience and security
of data by making it susceptible to a single point of
Economic Cooperation (APEC)
failure. For example, in 2012, a small explosion in a
forum established the Cross- data centre in Calgary, Canada, led 30,000 people to
Border Privacy Rules (CBPR) lose landline phone services (including to emergency
and Privacy Recognition for services) and interruptions to the functioning of radio
stations, fire authorities, taxi services, and even some
Processors (PRP) systems which
local government functions for several days.51 National-
require participating businesses level events such as flooding, earthquakes, tornadoes,
to implement data privacy and wildfires could create resiliency issues even for data
policies consistent with the stored at multiple points within a country.

APEC Privacy Framework. These There are valid issues when it comes to law enforcement
forms of privacy protections are officials requiring timely access to data in other
solutions that allow cross-border countries; however, these issues are best addressed by
tackling the specific requirements of law enforcement
data flows while safeguarding
agencies through inter-governmental data sharing
privacy through interoperable agreements, rather than constricting data flows.52 For
enforcement mechanisms, example, Indonesia could explore discussions with the
providing an ideal international United States under the CLOUD Act, which authorises
providers to disclose communications content pursuant
framework that APAC

"
to a lawful order from a foreign government that
policymakers could seek. has entered into an executive agreement with the
United States.

50. James Arlen and Brendan O’Connor (2015), “Xenophobia is hard on data: Forced localization, data storage, and business realities”, Sector.
Available at: http://www.sector.ca/Program/Sessions/Session-Details/xenophobia-is-hard-on-data-forced-localization-data-storage-and-business-realities/
51. Leviathan Security Group, “Comparison of Availability Between Local and Cloud Storage”. Available at: https://static1.squarespace.com/
static/556340ece4b0869396f21099/t/559dad9ae4b069728afca34a/1436396954508/Value+of+Cloud+Security+-+Availability.pdf
52. Joshua P. Meltzer and Peter Lovelock (2018), Regulating for a digital economy: Understanding the importance of cross-border data flows in Asia.
Available at: https://www.brookings.edu/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/digital-economy_meltzer_lovelock_working-paper.pdf
 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY 35

Concern 3:
Supporting the growth of domestic digital firms
and local jobs
It has been argued that free digital trade will result in a investments in the digital ecosystem, and knowledge
select number of large multinationals (with the necessary transfer.54 In Indonesia, such examples of the importance
scale) capturing the economic benefits, while local firms of digital multinationals to the local digital industry
receive limited benefits and local economies miss out are plentiful:
on employment opportunities. The economic literature
has debunked the notion that trade protectionism spurs • Investment in research. Apple will be building
the creation of highly-productive domestic champions,53 three R&D centres in Indonesia where such app
and the same is even more true for the digital sector for development and marketing tools will be housed
several reasons. and shared with app developers.55

First, digital multinationals make important contributions • Support for innovation. IBM’s ‘Smarter Cities
to the local digital ecosystem. A survey of start- Challenge’ is a competitive grant programme in
ups across Asia (including in Indonesia) found that which IBM partners cities who have put forth the
88 percent considered it crucial to attract foreign most compelling proposals by leveraging IBM’s
technology investment to the country, with some of the technical expertise in cloud computing, analytics
most important channels including start-up financing, and artificial intelligence to achieve their visions

53. For a literature review, see Arvind Panagariya, “A Re-examination of the Infant Industry Argument for Protection”, Journal of Applied Research, February 18, 2011.
Available at: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/097380101000500102
54. AlphaBeta (2017), Digital Nation: Policy levers for investment and growth. Available at: http://www.alphabeta.com/digital-nation-policy-levers-investment-growth/
55. Apple Insider (2018), “Apple’s first Indonesian R&D center to open in second quarter, iPhone 7 sales to start on Friday”. Available at: https://appleinsider.com/
articles/17/03/30/apples-first-indonesian-rd-center-to-open-in-second-quarter-iphone-7-sales-to-start-on-friday
36 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY

– fully funded by IBM.56 The city of Jakarta has Third, digital trade constraints bring about significant
received such support, particularly in the area of additional operational costs which often fall hardest
digitising its transport services.57 on SMEs. While a major company may have sufficient
revenues and scale to justify building data centres
• Support for local enterprises. Through a strategic in multiple locations, smaller firms can be shut out
partnership with Google allowing them to fully of the domestic and international internet economy
leverage Google Maps technology and data, local completely if they cannot access affordable computing
digital enterprise Terralogiq has become a key and data services. Past research has found that local
player in Indonesia’s mapping technology industry. companies would be required to pay 30-60 percent
The company has since developed many maps- more for their computing needs from strictly enforced
based applications across a variety of sectors such data localisation policies.63 Indeed, it has been observed
as infrastructure, retail and agriculture.58 that not only does the fragmentation of global online
networks by data localisation laws result in delays,
• Support for the education system. Oracle launched inefficiencies and higher costs from building or renting
the Oracle Academy, a free educational computer physical infrastructure in each jurisdiction, it also
science programme, which 20 Indonesians imposes the need to operate in a “complex array of
universities have joined and incorporated as part different jurisdictions imposing conflicting mandates and
of their curriculum.59 It also collaborates with conferring conflicting rights”.64
the Ministry of Education and Culture and the
Association of Informatics and Computer Science Fourth, protectionism could encourage retaliatory
Higher Education (APTIKOM) to provide training behaviour in other jurisdictions with the potential to shut
to over 3,000 local teachers from 900 secondary out local firms from these foreign markets. McKinsey
vocational schools.60 Global Institute estimates that data flows accounted
for US$2.8 trillion of economic value in 2014 and any
Second, digital constraints impacts not only negatively impediment to these flows could create significant
affect the digital sector itself, but also the broader economic headwinds.65
economy. In fact, the larger impact is on non-digital
sectors. The macroeconomic costs of forced data Finally, the perceived benefit of data localisation
localisation range between 0.7 percent and 1.1 requirements for domestic employment is typically much
percent of GDP.61 In addition, data localisation has smaller than expected. Data centres, for example, are
been associated with investment decreases of up ‘capital heavy’ but ‘job light’ investments that are likely to
to 4 percent.62 create few local jobs.66

56. IBM (2017), “Smarter Cities Challenge aims to make lasting urban improvements”.
Available at: https://www.ibm.com/blogs/cloud-computing/2017/02/17/smarter-cities-challenge-improvements/
57. IBM Smarter Cities Challenge (2018). Available at: https://www.smartercitieschallenge.org/cities
58. Based on interview with CTO of Terralogiq, Mr Farry Abimael Argoebie.
59. Oracle (2009), “20 universities in Indonesia join the Oracle Academy”. Available at: http://www.oracle.com/us/corporate/press/017922_EN
60. Enterprise Innovation (2016), “Oracle Academy to help advance computer science education in Indonesia.”
Available at: https://www.enterpriseinnovation.net/article/oracle-academy-help-advance-computer-science-education-indonesia-62262970
61. Matthias Bauer et al. (2014), The costs of data localisation: Friendly fire on economic recovery, European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE).
Available at: http://www.ecipe.org/app/uploads/2014/12/OCC32014__1.pdf
62. Matthias Bauer et al. (2014), The costs of data localisation: Friendly fire on economic recovery, European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE).
Available at: http://www.ecipe.org/app/uploads/2014/12/OCC32014__1.pdf
63. Leviathan Security Group (June, 2014), Quantifying the costs of forced localization. Available at: https://static1.squarespace.com/
static/556340ece4b0869396f21099/t/559dad76e4b0899d97726a8b/1436396918881/Quantifying+the+Cost+of+Forced+Localization.pdf
64. Sascha Meinrath (2013), “We can’t let the Internet become balkanized”, Slate.
Available at: http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2013/10/internet_balkanization_may_be_a_side_effect_of_the_snowden_surveillance.html
65. McKinsey Global Institute (2016), Digital globalization: The new era of global flows.
Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/digital-mckinsey/our-insights/digital-globalization-the-new-era-of-global-flows
66. TechRepublic (2016), “Why data centers fail to bring new jobs to small towns”.
Available at: https://www.techrepublic.com/article/why-data-centers-fail-to-bring-new-jobs-to-small-towns/
 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY 37

Concern 4:
Protecting the local tax base
A fear of many policymakers is that digital trade
makes it easier for companies to shift profits to low
tax jurisdictions and hence avoid paying taxes. This
perception, however, is not necessarily backed by the
data. Research by the European Centre for International
Political Economy (ECIPE) shows that the taxes paid
by the world’s largest Internet firms are on average
commensurate with leading businesses across the
Asia-Pacific region.67 As government officials have
increasingly acknowledged, the international approach
to tackling Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) and
US tax reform have together been largely successful
at addressing the issue of double-non-taxation and
indefinite deferred taxation respectively.

The conversation has now moved on to how that

tax should be allocated among countries, particularly
countries with large consumer markets. At present,
digital multinationals (like non-digital multinationals)
pay the majority of their tax where their product
development takes place. Some countries have are more concerned about the unpredictability of the
expressed their desire for the presence of large tax environment, as opposed to the rate itself.68 For
consumer markets to play a stronger role in how profit example, over half of respondents in Deloitte’s latest
(and therefore taxing rights) is allocated, but it is no “Asia Pacific Tax Complexity Survey” considered the tax
longer accurate to suggest that there is a broad problem compliance and fiscal requirements in Indonesia to be
of digital multinationals not enough paying tax at a “complicated”.69 The early lessons from BEPS reforms
global level. in the region highlight the importance of a strong
consultation process with industry and of enforceable
Surveys of digital multinational enterprises conducted mechanisms that do not discriminate against the
by AlphaBeta in past research found that investors digital sector.70

67. T Martina F. Ferracane and Hosuk Lee-Makiyamahe (2018), Geopolitics of Online Taxation in Asia-Pacific - Digitalisation, Corporate Tax Base and The Role of
Governments. Available at: http://ecipe.org/publications/the-geopolitics-of-online-taxation-in-asia-pacific/
68. AlphaBeta (2017), Digital Nation: Policy levers for investment and growth. Available at: http://www.alphabeta.com/digital-nation-policy-levers-investment-growth/
69. Deloitte (2017), Shifting sands: risk and reform in uncertain times. 2017 Asia Pacific Tax Complexity Survey.
70. AlphaBeta (2017), The Screen Evolution: How video-on-demand boosts Asia’s economies and generates value for viewers, business and society.
Available at: http://www.alphabeta.com/the-screen-evolution/
38 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY

PRIORITIES FOR ACTION

WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES FOR INDONESIA TO
CAPTURE THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY?
THERE ARE TWO BROAD CATEGORIES:

1 2

AT HOME ABROAD

category 1:
action at home
Indonesia has a number of opportunities to enhance its
current domestic regulatory approach to data: Indeed, academic research has shown that recently
proposed or enacted legislation on data localisation
• Ensuring open data flows and interoperability. could potentially reduce GDP by around 0.5
Pursuant to Government Regulation 82 of 2012 percent in Indonesia, and this could grow to up to
(GR 82), electronic system providers offering public 0.7 percent of GDP if economy-wide restrictions
services must place data centres and disaster are introduced.72 A draft revision of this regulation
recovery centres within Indonesia, ostensibly for has proposed to divide data into three categories:
the purposes of law enforcement and customer strategic, high risk, and low risk. Only strategic data
protection.71 It is unclear what constitutes “public would be subject to data localisation requirements,
services” in this regulation and as highlighted earlier however the current definition of strategic data
in this chapter, law enforcement and customer is overly broad, including Indonesian citizens’
protection concerns can be addressed without data.73 An example of how the data localisation
requiring data localisation, which can impose requirements could impact one MSME is provided
significant costs on the economy. in Box 3.

71. Baker McKenzie (2018), “Indonesia - changes to data localisation provisions for electronic system operators”.
Available at: https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=a3b371a0-1b95-4ebc-86a1-2cbcda491eda
72. Matthias Bauer et al. (2014), The costs of data localisation: Friendly fire on economic recovery, European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE).
Available at: http://www.ecipe.org/app/uploads/2014/12/OCC32014__1.pdf
73. Baker McKenzie (2018), “Indonesia - changes to data localisation provisions for electronic system operators”.
Available at: https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=a3b371a0-1b95-4ebc-86a1-2cbcda491eda
 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY 39

Clarity is required around the type of data that can of ideas, information, and commerce on the other
be shared, the boundaries of sharing, and the type hand, will be important as part of this.
of consumer consent that is required. A useful first
step would be for Indonesia to adopt the APEC Similarly, well-balanced internet Intermediary
Privacy Framework and join the APEC Cross Border Liability (ILL) regulations can help to ensure
Data Privacy Rules System as well as adopt ISO the effective removal of illegal content without
Standards such as ISO27018 that specifies controls constraining the free flow of information.
to protect personal data. In this regard, in early 2018, the Ministry of
Communications and Information Technology,
A related opportunity is to encourage Kominfo, proposed potential changes to existing
interoperability between digital frameworks, legislation to include a ‘safe harbour’ policy to
particularly on payment gateways, to avoid the address platform liability over content distributed
costs of companies having to customise their over the platform and potentially broadening
approaches to every single market. One opportunity the definition of illegal content. It is imperative
for Indonesia is to support the implementation that regulations define clear and cost-efficient
of the data management initiative under the requirements for intermediaries to comply
Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025 (MPAC with legislation and provide clarity on any
2025), which aims to improve transparency and potential liability.
accountability on data regulation requirements in
ASEAN and identify areas to enhance performance • Minimising border frictions. Cross-border trade
and coordination.74 would be greatly enhanced by reducing the
need for local registration, removing disclosure
• Promote innovation-oriented approaches to requirements of key intellectual property, and
copyright and intermediary liability regulations. minimising unnecessary procedures and duties.
A strong environment for digital trade is one Local establishment requirements can be cost
in which the development of innovative digital prohibitive especially for MSMEs, and pose as a
content is facilitated in a manner that does not disincentive to businesses by effectively serving
undermine the interests of rights holders. While as an additional tax on operations. While there are
addressing copyright concerns and removing currently no explicit local registration requirements
undesirable content (such as hate speech) in Indonesia at present, Government Regulation 82
are clearly important priorities for stimulating of 2012 (GR 82) will require commercial internet
innovation and protecting consumers, the challenge platforms to register their platforms locally at
is to balance such objectives with a system that is Kominfo, or at least appoint a local representative
sufficiently flexible that it does not impose undue to serve as a point of contact.
burden on firms, particularly MSMEs.
On 15 February 2018, the Indonesian government
As Indonesia further develops its copyright issued a regulation under the Indonesian customs
regulations, ensuring clarity on issues such as code to make “software and other digital products
the ‘fair use doctrine’, which aims to balance the transmitted electronically” subject to import
interests of content creators on the one hand, duty.75 This includes operating system software,
and society’s competing interest in the free flow application software, audio visual media services

74. ASEAN Secretariat (2016), Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity 2025.

Available at: http://asean.org/storage/2016/09/Master-Plan-on-ASEAN-Connectivity-20251.pdf
75. This refers to Regulation 17 and Chapter 99 of the Indonesian Customs Code. See: Ministry of Finance, Republic of Indonesia (2018).
Available at: https://jdih.kemenkeu.go.id/fullText/2018/17~PMK.010~2018Per.pdf
40 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY

(AVMS) as well as other software and digital bring to domestic businesses. Many of these
products. Effective as of 1 March 2018, this benefits would be negatively impacted through
regulation currently imposes a rate of 0 percent, the rising costs of digital imports. This possible
which creates the legal mechanism to impose adverse cost impact on Indonesian consumers and
duties and customs compliance obligations on such businesses is likely to hurt Indonesia’s international
goods in the future. competitiveness rather than improve it, which
is particularly true for Indonesian SMEs.78 For
Running counter to the WTO moratorium on example, in 2015, AlphaBeta estimated that over
customs duties on electronic transmissions which 550,000 Indonesian businesses connected with
has been in place since 1998,76 it has been argued consumers through online search and more than
that this regulation would improve Indonesia’s 250,000 businesses generated sales through the
trade balance, shrink its fiscal deficit and ensure Internet, many of which utilised imported online
the competitiveness of domestic businesses.77 marketing tools.79 More than 6,000 Indonesian
Unfortunately, the arguments do not consider businesses, mostly SMEs, were also estimated
the potential negative impacts on the domestic to have adopted business productivity tools (e.g.
economy nor on Indonesia’s digital exports. Office 365, G Suite) in 2015.80

As elaborated in Chapter 1, digital trade supports In addition, imposing custom duties as a stop-
sizable economic benefits that digital imports gap measure to improve the country’s trade

76. United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (2016), International trade in a digital age.
Available at: https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/aptir-2016-ch7.pdf
77. Yuafanda Kholfi Hartono (2018), “Welcoming import duties on intangible goods”.
Available at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/academia/2018/01/10/welcoming-import-duties-on-intangible-goods.html
78. Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (2016), 2016 CTI report to ministers. Available at: http://publications.apec.org/-/media/APEC/Publications/2016/11/2016-
CTI-Report-to-Ministers/TOC/Appendix-26-Pathfinder-on-Permanent-Customs-Duty-Moratorium-on-Electronic-Transmissions-Including-Co.pdf
79. Estimates based on data from Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, Indonesia. (2013). The usage of ICT by business sector in Indonesia. Ministry
of Communication and Information Technology, as well as data from Global StatCounter.
80. Number of firms is estimated based on Google Admin installs and Android smartphone penetration in 2015.
 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY 41

balance could trigger retaliatory tariffs from other New Zealand and Taiwan.81 Not only is this in line
governments, particularly in the region. This could with the principle that tax revenues should accrue
potentially place Indonesia at risk of digital export to the jurisdiction in which the digital services are
revenues suffering losses in its future, undermining actually consumed, a non-resident VAT would also
the potential export growth elaborated on in maintain a consistent tax treatment between digital
Chapter 2, and being shut out of the gains to global and non-digital services without conflicting with
digital trade. international rules, standard practices and the non-
discrimination principle.82
While governments should seek to create a level
playing field for both resident and non-resident An area where Indonesia has adopted encouraging
providers of digital services, this objective could recent reforms is around custom duties on digital
be achieved through less distortive measures. products. A de minimis threshold of US$200
For instance, imposing a Value-Added Tax (VAT) could generate over US$30 billion in economic
or Goods and Service Tax (GST) on non-resident benefits for all 21 APEC members.83 Indonesia is
providers of digital services is an approach that has leading from the front in this area by increasing
been adopted by an increasing number of countries its de minimis threshold from US$50 to US$1,001
across the world, including all member states of in 2017.84
the European Union, South Korea, India, Australia,

81. Avalara VATlive (2018), “Global VAT & GST on digital services”. Available at: https://www.vatlive.com/global-vat-gst-on-e-services/
82. Alexander Bellheim et al (2014), Your pocket guide to VAT on digital e-commerce, Bird & Bird.
Available at: https://www.twobirds.com/~/media/pdfs/books/bird--bird--pocket-guide-to-vat-on-digital-ecommerce.pdf?la=en
83. Stephen Holloway and Jeffrey Rae (March 2012), “De minimis thresholds in APEC”, World Customs Journal, Vol.6 # 1.
84. UPS (2017), “Indonesia increases the De Minimis threshold on inbound shipments”. Available at: https://www.ups.com/vn/en/about/news/apac-de-minimis.page
42 CAPTURING THE DIGITAL TRADE OPPORTUNITY

Box 3.
Pegaxis – How uncertainty surrounding regulation
affects digital MSMEs foreign expansion plans85
MSME start-up Pegaxis is a one-stop e-procurement
property management services platform for real
estate. The platform connects property managers
with vendors for an exhaustive list of services such
as gardening and landscaping or lift repair and
maintenance services. Building operators can list
tenders on the platform and vendors can bid for
contracts. Data localisation regulation is a key area of
concern for the business. Phoro source: Pegaxis

Ted Poh Chen Wei, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Pegaxis stated that, “Like most MSMEs, we
do not have expensive physical servers but rely on existing cloud solutions. To comply with regulation,
we will have to find a local data centre provider. Unfortunately, the data centre market in Indonesia is
nascent, meaning providers are likely going to be more expensive, of uncertain quality and less reliable.
Also, switching data centre provider is not a simple copy paste as the architecture might be very
different. That means we will face cost searching for providers, cost of setting up a new infrastructure
and exposure to uncertainty.”

category 2:
action abroad
The Indonesian Government is currently engaged opportunities for Indonesian firms.
in a number of bilateral and multilateral trade deals.
These include the Regional Comprehensive Economic Moreover, Indonesia’s participation in the ASEAN ‘Work
Partnership (RCEP), a proposed free trade agreement Programme on E-Commerce 2017-2025’ has been a
(FTA) between the ten member states of the Association promising step. This programme has identified a series
of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the six states of initiatives to promote region-wide accessibility
with which ASEAN has existing free trade agreements of broadband infrastructure, create a conducive
(Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korea and New environment to foster the growth of a regional
Zealand). Advocating on the three issues highlighted e-commerce marketplace, improve ASEAN logistics
above and in particular, support for the WTO services and create a level playing field for e-commerce
e-commerce negotiations, can help increase the export players within the region.86

85. AMTC (2018), Micro-Revolution: The New Stakeholders of Trade in APAC. A

vailable at: http://tradecoalition.org/resource/micro-revolution-the-new-stakeholders-of-trade-in-apac/
86. ASEAN (2018), “ASEAN work programme on electronic commerce 2017-2025”.
Available at: https://asean.org/asean-economic-community/sectoral-bodies-under-the-purview-of-aem/e-commerce/
Prepared by AlphaBeta