Minister Tells Regional Leaders to Keep Inflation in Check

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian guests the 11th episode of Podkabs, Cabinet and Cabinet Secretariat’s podcast. (Photo by: PR of Cabinet Secretariat/Agung)

Minister of Home Affairs Tito Karnavian has called on regional leaders to keep inflation under control in their respective regions, saying that this in line with President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s order to control inflation in the regions through the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID) and a controlling system.

Tito also unveiled that the Ministry has issued nine measures to curb inflation in regions, among others:

1. monitoring prices and stocks to ensure supplies are available;
2. carrying out TPID technical meetings;
3. maintaining supply of basic commodities and essential goods;
4. promoting campaigns to grow foods;
5. conducting low-cost market operations with related agencies;
6. doing inspections to the market traders and distributors to ensure that they will not hoard the goods;
7. coordinating with commodity-producing regions to maintain the supply;
8. realizing unexpected spending to support inflation control; and
9. providing transportation assistance sourced from the regional budget (APBD).

The Minister went on to say that the TPID monitors progress of those nine measures on a daily basis, adding that data on the progress will be presented in regional inflation control weekly meetings held by the Ministry and attended by regional government apparatus.

“We will deliver the data. I want to create a competitive climate. We’ll show ten regions with the highest inflation and ten regions with the lowest inflation,” he said, adding that regions with the highest inflation will explain their obstacles, while those with the lowest rate will share their efforts to others.

The Minister also expressed belief that the Government’s move to curb inflation in the regions contributed significantly to further curb national inflation, which stood at 5.28 percent in February, lower than that of December last year at 5.51 percent.

“Compared to that of other countries, our inflation is one of the lowest. Our economic growth also shows remarkable results, growing by 5.3 percent despite the challenges. The economy, including economies in the regions makes a great contribution,” he remarked. (RF/MAY/TGH/JW/AIT/UN) (RAS/ EP)