Tech giants Google and Facebook own and operate dozens of data centers, with most of the facilities located within the US, while the others are spread in other places, including Singapore in Asia and Ireland in Europe.

Before such sites were constructed in the country, the minister said issues related to data privacy and data protection should be made clear.

Indonesia is preparing a personal data protection bill that will be deliberated and passed into law next year.

Recently, Jakarta issued Government Regulation (PP) No. 71/2019 on the implementation of electronic systems and transactions, which stipulates that foreign and homegrown digital companies must set up integrated data centers in Indonesia.

“There should be protocols ─ based upon reciprocity ─ regarding the flow of data both within a country’s territory as well as cross-border movement,” the minister added.