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| www.bisnisgoonline.co.id |
Have you heard the latest initiative launched by Google South East Asia in Indonesia? They introduced “Bisnis Lokal Go Online” [Get Indonesian Business Online/ GIBO] to help local Small and Medium Enterprises reach their customers around the world. In their service, Google provides free domain name and other supporting facilities for the first 100.000 applicants in the first year and after the first year, MELSA, Google’s partner, will offer extension with maximum cost of Rp150.000 a year (given the exchange rate of 8.200, it means approximately US$ 19). Google also offers free tips and training on online marketing using AdWords and it is worth about Rp500.000.
I read the news about this initiative when I was searching for information about Indonesian Ministry of Communication and Information (Menkominfo). I quote from here, Gatot S. Dewa Broto stated that Google was being unethical by neither coordinating nor informing Menkominfo regarding GIBO. He said that the legality and investment permit were not clear yet, but Google already started dealing with various partners in Indonesia including Kementerian Koperasi dan UKM/ Menkop (a ministry whose job is to organize small medium companies in Indonesia). In giving this comment, he realized that there wasn’t any regulation that obliges Google to include Menkominfo in the deal (probably that was why he said ‘unethical’ instead of ‘illegal’). Also, Google stated in its Terms and Condition page that GIBO was under the jurisdiction of Indonesian Law and Google would abide to it. Google connects with partners it saw fit and proper and declared its compliance to the law. So, what was the problem? I got confused at this point. Unless…there was an unwritten consensus agreed by all ministries that in this kind of deal, companies must inform related ministries even when there isn’t any single regulation requires doing so. If that was the case, then yes...Google is being unethical. But, was there?
People are questioning why Google is making such moves in Indonesia. Some said long-term investment, some a shared value strategy and some said there was a negative hidden agenda. While people are wondering about those things, I am more interested on why Indonesian government (or people in the government?) is seriously trying to heighten the barrier of entry to Indonesia when they realize that we need foreign investors, when we must prepare ourselves for free trade era, and when the condition is already unattractive enough for investors.
Cheers,
Nidya
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