President Jokowi Orders Short and Long-Term Strategies to Tackle Inflation

President Jokowi at the Opening of 2023 National Coordination Meeting on Inflation Control, at the State Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (08/31). (Photo: PR of Cabinet Secretariat/Rahmat)

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has ordered regional governments to control inflation with short and long-term strategies.

For the short term, President Jokowi told regional governments to be transparent in integrating data on food balance sheet in their respective regions.

The President made the statement in his remarks at the National Coordination Meeting on Inflation Control at the State Palace, Jakarta, Thursday (08/31).

“Such data is important to be integrated so decision making is accountable and based on data. Coordination between regions must be encouraged –  which one is in need and should get connected immediately – so we can break the silos because this is the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia,” President Jokowi said.

The President also urged regional governments to increase their food supply to stabilize supplies and food prices in their respective regions.

“The regions must have adequate supply, coordinate and find solutions if a problem arises. As what has happened in Papua, we checked and there was no stock at all because the food supply is empty, then the supply is sent from Jakarta,” he explained.

“Governors, regents, and mayors can also use their [regional] budget to intervene the market. So, we hope that our inflation can be controlled well and slowly going down. Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs and Governor of the central bank Bank Indonesia has targeted to reach 2.5 percent, plus or minus 1 [percent] rate,” President Jokowi

For the long term, President Jokowi expressed belief that strengthening agricultural facilitation and infrastructure can be one of the keys to controlling inflation, adding that the issue of inflation always emerges for certain food commodity every year. (TGH/UN)(AW/EP)