Introductory Remarks of President Joko Widodo in the Limited Cabinet Meeting on the Programs to Address Poverty and Economic Gap, Wednesday, 16 March 2016 at 4 PM at the Presidential Office, Jakarta
Unofficial English Translation
Assalamualaikum warrahmatullahi wabarakaatuh,
At the limited cabinet meeting this afternoon, we are going to discuss programs to alleviate poverty and to address economic gap.
I would also like to assert the Governments commitment to continue addressing the issues of poverty and economic gap, be it gap among people and among regions.
I also hope that all policies and programs are implemented in an integrated way among ministries, Bank Indonesia (BI), the Financial Service Authority (OJK) and the State Logistics Agency (Bulog).
We are aware that the current poverty rate is caused by the slow economic growth. Matters related to economic slowdown and the price of food commodity, especially rice, have to become our concern.
Prices of food commodity that are not stable will reduce positive impacts of programs that we have implemented to alleviate poverty.
We also have to ensure that social protection programs programs such as the Healthy Indonesia Card (KIS), the Smart Indonesia Card (KIP) and the Prosperous Family Card (KKS) are distributed to the right target. I hope that I can receive a report that the distribution of the cards must be finished in April this year.
As for the village fund program, it must bring benefits to the people in the village and it must be implemented in a labor-intensive way so it can increase purchasing power of the people.
As for the Smallholder Business Credit (KUR), I have read about it and I am glad because program of the Smallholder Business Credit program, whose interest is now only 9 percent, has been disseminated well so the public now knows that the interest is only 9 percent. And I hope I can receive a report on how many percent the credit has been distributed. However, I have followed the development and I know that a big portion of the funds have been absorbed.
Once again, I would like to assert that the programs must be implemented in an integrated way so that the data can be well verified and validated, and the aids can also be well-targeted. We also have to know well how it is implemented on the ground and how to monitor and supervise it.
I suppose thats what I can say.
Now I would like to invite Coordinating Minister for the Economy to take the floor. (Humas) (EP/YM/Naster)