Jakarta, 5 January 2009 – The Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Sri Mulyani Indrawati, is optimistic that the Indonesian economy will achieve 5% growth in 2009. The Minister expressed this view at her office today during a dialogue with media editorial staff and economists on “EVALUATION OF THE ECONOMY IN 2008 AND OUTLOOK FOR 2009." The Coordinating Minister was accompanied by eight ministers in charge of economic portfolios.

Coordinating Minister Sri Mulyani explained the following: “Although faced with the impact of the global financial crisis, the Indonesian economy will be able to chart 5% growth in 2009. This prediction is based on an evaluation of Indonesia’s economic performance during the past five years and the budget outcome for the recently completed 2008 fiscal year. The 2008 budget deficit at only 0.1% of GDP, well below the originally planned 2.1% of GDP, affords the Government greater headroom for implementing pro-growth, pro-job and pro-poor programmes. The Rp 52.3 trillion unused portion of budget expenditures in 2008 is a blessing in disguise in the current global financial crisis, as the Government is able to appropriate part of this money to promoting economic growth amid the present global slowdown."

Source :

COORDINATING MINISTRY FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS
OF THE REPUBLIC OF INDONESIA
Main Building, Ministry of Finance, Jl. Lapangan Banteng Timur No. 2-4 Jakarta 10710
Tel: (021) 351-1178    Fax: (021) 351-1186    Website: http://www.ekon.go.id