Less sexism, less hustle and better prospects are some of the reasons why skilled tech professionals have not heeded the President’s pleas to return to Indonesia and spearhead its digital revolution.

Dea Karina knew what she wanted, and she was determined to have it. A stint studying in Europe convinced her that Indonesia wasn’t the best place to continue her career. After returning home during the pandemic, she sought out jobs and was hired by a language learning app in Berlin, Germany.

She moved there earlier this year. Speaking from her apartment, she described an affinity for the city’s culture, social scene and brighter prospects.

“I just felt I had certain potentials, and there wasn’t anywhere to channel them in Indonesia,” she said.

Convincing tech professionals like Dea to return to and work in Indonesia is a tall order. But President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is trying. Speaking at the opening of Sea Labs Indonesia on March 1, he expressed his hope that the country’s tech talent working abroad would come home and usher in a digital golden age. 

Leading his pitch was his lofty prediction that digital transactions in Indonesia would be worth Rp 4.531 trillion (US$316 million) by 2030, and a claim that the country’s start-up ecosystem was the most active in Southeast Asia.

“I want Indonesia to be a [tech] player, not just a market,” the president said. “Therefore, I invite our digital talent abroad to return home.”

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