Indonesia’s Poverty Rate Down on Lower Inflation and Labor Pay Hike

Jakarta, 14 Syawal 1437/19 July 2016 (MINA) – The number of poor people in Indonesia has decreased recent years as inflation has been in check and labor’s payment hiked.

The Cenral Statistic Agency (BPS) said on Monday that the poverty rate in March this year fell to 10.86 percent to 28.01 million people from 11.22 percent or 28.59 million people in the same period last year.

In March 2014, the rate was recorded at 11.25 percent or 28.28 million people, BPS Chief Suryamin was quoted by Xinhua as saying.

Consumer prices index dropped to 3.35 percent last year from 8.36 percent in the previous year, according to data from the bureau.

For this year, inflation is expected to accelerate at 3 to 5 percent, the country’s central bank has said.

The economy is forecast to expand at 5.2 percent this year and 5.3 to 5.9 percent next year, Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro has revealed.

President Joko Widodo, who came into office in October 2014, has declared a plan of massive infrastructure projects across the archipelago country to smooth flows of goods and create more jobs as he aims for over 7-percent GDP growth at the end of his five-year term. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)