Economic Advisor and Director of Research Department of International Monetary Fund (IMF), Maurice Obstfel, on Tuesday (9/10) in Bali encourages Indonesian government to improve efforts to survive amidst global economic tension at present. The effort can be done by giving tax incentive that provides opportunity for investment entry to Indonesia. Maurice also said the investment can be utilized to increase Indonesian empowerment resources, encouraging educational sector as well as pressing inequality.
“For countries of Indonesia’s income level, we would think that there might be a higher level of tax revenue to allow investment in the educational system, in infrastructure, in the social safety net, all would be beneficial to the people. So our sort of advice to all countries of Indonesia’s income status are to look at those issues, to try to raise the agility of the workforce, to raise the human capital of the work force, to fight further against inequality which is come down in Indonesia in recent years,” said Maurice Obstfel.
Moreover, Maurice Obstfeld explained that the depreciation of rupiah to US Dollar is the effect of the strengthening of US dollar. She said that US monetary strict policy which affected to many countries in the world is a fact that happening right now. Besides, she said Indonesia is now facing trade war between the US and China. Therefore, IMF predicted the Indonesian economic growth will keep strong if the government of Indonesia can utilize national economy that gives real benefit for Indonesian people. (VOI/Ndy/TRANS:AF/DP)