Jakarta, Feb. 4 -- Presidential candidate Anies Baswedan highlighted that investment in the information and technology (IT) sector should prioritize the private sector and state-owned companies.

Speaking at the final round of the presidential debate here on Sunday, Anies said the measure would be strategic in developing a self-sufficient Indonesian IT manufacturing sector.

According to Statistics Indonesia's (BPS) data, the total value of Indonesia's smartphone imports in 2023 reached Rp30 trillion (US$1.92 billion).

"We will call all stakeholders involved in IT sector investment. We will provide all their needs, though it will be available for the private sector and state-owned enterprises," Anies said.

He assured that all facilities...