VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) wants household consumption and investment growth to improve in the fourth quarter of 2020, after the pace of the two spending sectors is almost certain to remain at a negative level in the third quarter of 2020.

"I get a figure that household consumption is still at a minus level, approximately minus four percent (in the third quarter of 2020), so it is our duty to strengthen demand," said President Jokowi when opening a plenary cabinet session at the State Palace, Jakarta, Monday.

The rate of household consumption, which covers more than half of Indonesia's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) in the second quarter of 2020, is minus to 5.51 percent.

President Jokowi asked his staff to realize the expenditure budget up to the "maximum point" in the fourth quarter of 2020 to sustain public demand and consumption.

"The fourth quarter, this is the last quarter. I hope that the realization of our spending must be at its maximum," he said. The name of this article is:

Apart from household consumption, the President revealed that investment growth in the third quarter of 2020 was still at a negative level, reaching minus five percent or even minus six percent.

"I have warned the Head of BKPM and the Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment so that at least in the third quarter of 2020 this could be minus below five percent, but it was not possible," said the President.

Therefore, investment flows must be increased in the fourth quarter of 2020. The President hopes that the United States' decision to extend import duty relief for Indonesia or the general preferential tariff facility (Generalized System of Preferences / GSP) can attract investment interest in Indonesia.

"Because we have this facility (GSP), because people want to establish industries, factories, companies in Indonesia will be more attractive because to enter the US, we are given facilities from the US," said the President. (Antaranews)