Receive Hipmi Board, President Jokowi Asks for Optimistic in Facing the Stronger of Dollar or MEA

President Jokowi provides direction in the front of Hipmi ranks, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday (6/4) afternoon

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) provide a compelling message to young entrepreneurs who are members of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (Hipmi) in the face of the strengthening of the US dollar against the rupiah, or in facing the ASEAN Economic Community (MEA) by the end of 2015.

Related with the dollar, President Jokowi expressed optimism and confidence, because if compared with other countries, in fact our situation is much better. “For many months, we just depressed approximately 5.8 percent. Malaysia has lost many foreign exchange reserves but also their currency is not strengthened,” Jokowi said when received Hipmi board ranks at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Monday (6/4) afternoon.

According to President Jokowi, if all one voice, he sure could depress the dollar, and strengthen the rupiah. He mentioned, our fiscal space is very nice with the transfer of fuel subsidy by the infrastructure, to the farmers, the fishermen, although it has not been spent.

The President also gave an example when offering location for power plant, Jokowi said that he had just received the investor and the Minister, as well as the Managing Director of PLN. Investments will be even greater. When compared, the capital inflow in January, February, there entered Rp 47 trillion, at the same month last year; we have doubled now,” Jokowi said.

Regarding the ASEAN Economic Community (MEA), according to the President Jokowi, countries such as Singapore, Thailand, and Brunei also scared. “We actually dreaded, why even chimed in fear, it’s wrong. If you understand they are fear, we must dare to expand there, we precede to go there, “he said.

President Jokowi delivers the strategy, which is to attract the industry to Indonesia. What kind of industry? Specifically, President asked for export-oriented industries. “Do not let our trade balance was annoyed because the entry is not export-oriented industries, even take our market,” he said.

“I expect that within a year, two years, three years, will be a lot of investment into Indonesia. However, I do not want an error occurs again, we had three errors. When the oil boom, we do not take advantage of the best possible way, so that our economic foundation is not solid in the era of the 70s. When in the 80s happened timber boom, but I was a kid so I did not enjoy anything. Then go away because we do not hold the industrial base, all exported in the form of raw materials all, oil, wood; everything is in the form of raw materials,” he explained.

Lastly, President Jokowi mentioned about a very large state budget. He pointed to a budget (APBN) of Rp 290 trillion for infrastructure. “What does it mean? If you look at the opportunity, now that meant I had to go in. Because of Rp 290 trillion in infrastructure, so that who has the ability to build the road, let’s please get in; Wijaya Karya, Adhi Karya, and others,” he said.

Then the railway lines, we also want to build it. If anyone has the ability in the field, let’s please enter it. Do not be preceded by another, especially from the outside, eventually we could just be a spectator only, the ports, started it all, whether joint or cooperative. If we have the ability, we do ourselves. He mentioned many facilitis that will be built, among others:   24 ports, 35,000 power plants, and 1,000 highways.

The Inauguration Report

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Hipmi, Bahlil Lahadalia, said that his meeting with President Jokowi intended to report the inauguration of Hipmi 3 days ago. “The meeting was attended by 33 regional administrators and administrators DPP Hipmi,” he said.

Bahlil grateful at the meeting, President Jokowi provide some strategies to deal with the exchange rate that is slightly lower than the dollar.  (PR Setkab / ES)