VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOInews, Jakarta: Vice Presidential candidate number 3 Mahfud Md assessed that the problem of rampant corruption is the main root of the inequality of economic growth in various parts of Indonesia to this day.

"Why is it still unequal now? Why has growth not yet touched six percent? The theory that can explain it all is because Indonesia has too much corruption," Mahfud said in the NTT Diaspora Dialogue with Prof. Mahfud MD in Jakarta, Tuesday (19/12/2023).

Mahfud believes that Indonesia's economy has the potential to grow more than six percent annually, but corruption cases that the government has not been able to overcome have created an imbalance between natural resources and human resource managers.

"For example, I noted that in the last four years the cases I handled alone involved Rp701 trillion in corruption," he said. This imbalance practically makes economic growth in Indonesia uneven.

He cited the contribution of the western region of Indonesia, which dominates 80 percent of economic growth. Even Java Island contributes 57 percent of the national economy, while eastern Indonesia only contributes 20 percent. Mahfud regretted this considering that eastern Indonesia, such as East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), has natural potential, very rich cultural diversity, but its condition is still below the national average because it has not maximally managed its existing potential.

"So I say, whatever theory you use if you are not able to eradicate corruption, at least stop the continuation of corruption from time to time, then economic growth will never reach its maximum," said the man who still serves as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs.(ANTARA)