Townsend explained that Bapak are indeed formal in many ways. One must respect their status and position, but they are also informal in many other ways. Indonesians are often described as a friendly and smiling people. We have seen that the complexity behind that outward friendliness can be confusing. However, in polite business conversation, most Bapak will be very interested in who the Western businessman is.
Westerners are fairly unique in Indonesia.
They may seem ubiquitous on Jalan Sudirman and Jalan Rasuna Said, but for a Bapak in a traditional Indonesian government office, talking to a westerner may be an unusual activity. The interest usually goes beyond these initial questions. If you, are trying to open a relationship with a Bapak, use his natural interest to your advantage. Indonesian business relationships are personal relationships and the more you know about each other the easier it will be to develop and cement that relationship. Think of the Bapak that you have a relationship with now.