VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) instructed his staff not to work standardly in the midst of an uncertain global situation. This was conveyed by the Head of State when opening the 2022 National Coordination Meeting for Inflation Control, at the State Palace, Thursday (18/8/2022).

"Therefore, we cannot work standardly, we can no longer because the situation is not normal. We cannot work routinely, because the situation is not normal," said the President.

The President said that the world is currently in a very difficult condition. According to him, all countries face a similar situation.

"Starting from the COVID-19 pandemic, which has not yet recovered and several countries are currently still at high numbers. Then there will be wars, crises, energy crises, financial crises," he said.

For this reason, according to the Head of State, in the midst of uncertain conditions like today, it is not only using standard standards in work. He also asked his staff to not only work looking at the macro economy.

"We can't work just looking at the macro, we can't believe it. If we look at the macro, we have to look at the micro, we have to look at the details in terms of numbers and the data is not normal," he said.

On the same occasion, President Jokowi asked regents, mayors and governors to really cooperate with the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID). center. This is so that it can be coordinated directly to control inflation.

"This must be continued because this country is a huge country, 514 regencies/cities, 34 now 37 provinces. With the new DOB (New Autonomous Region), this is a big country," he continued.

He also asked the local government to use the undisputed budget post in the Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBD). It aims to resolve inflation in the region.

"I have ordered the Minister of Home Affairs to issue the decision. Either a circular stating that the budget cannot be used to settle inflation in the regions," he said. (RRI)

The government continues to make strategies to reduce the inflation rate by around 4 percent to 4.8 percent during 2022. The national consumer price inflation index (CPI) in July 2022 was recorded to be quite high at 4.94 percent on an annual basis.

The Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Airlangga Hartarto, said that there were a number of factors that led to an increase in inflation. This is due to global commodity prices and weather.

"Several programs and extra efforts are being carried out. We hope that they can be implemented well," said Airlangga in Jakarta, Thursday (18/8/2022).

"This includes the role played by the government through the state budget to contain fuel prices, which will certainly be a challenge in the second quarter," he added.

Furthermore, Airlangga said that the Central Inflation Time Synergy (TPIP) continues to be pursued. Various measures have also been prepared such as price affordability, food availability and supply.

"And distribution and effective communication are intensified, especially to maintain and purchasing power," he said.

On the other hand, Airlangga said almost all districts or cities have strengthened their participation in 2022.

"Participation when regional inflation was at 78 percent this year, last year was still around 71 percent," he said. (RRI)

Main Expert Staff of the Presidential Staff Office Wandy Tuturoong said President Joko Widodo realized that the world's challenge was the climate crisis. For this reason, the state speech delivered at the MPR Annual Session discussed many environmental issues.

"The challenges of the climate crisis in the future inevitably get closer," she told Pro3 RRI, Thursday (18/8/2022). "Even some countries have started to feel it."

The President in his speech at the MPR Annual Session was optimistic that Indonesia would be able to become a producer of competitive green products in the international market. Because Indonesia has abundant natural resources.

The president, according to Wandy, has a strategy to build strong economic performance as it is today. But on the one hand, the President also does not want to rule out other challenges, including climate change.

"We have to start even though the challenges we face are quite heavy, especially with the wars between Russia and Ukraine," she said. "It has been conveyed by the President starting from the grand industrial or the Capital of the Archipelago, which will soon begin its ground breaking." (RRI)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) ordered local governments to cooperate with the Central Inflation Control Team (TPID) and the regions (TPID). This aims to reduce the rate of inflation.

According to the Head of State, if there is strong cooperation, the government will control inflation to below 3 percent. This was said by the Head of State when opening the 2022 National Coordination Meeting for Inflation Control, at the State Palace, Thursday (18/8/2022).

"Ask in our area what is the price increase that causes inflation. It could be rice, it could be red onions, it could be chili and check it," said the President.

"The Central Inflation Control Team checks which regions have abundant supply or abundant supply?

The President said that the world is currently in a difficult position due to the Covid-19 pandemic plus the war in Ukraine-Russia. This led to a global food, energy and financial crisis.

In the midst of this situation, he also encouraged his staff at the central and regional levels to not only work routinely and standardly. But have to work in detail.

"We can't work just looking at the macro, it won't work, I don't believe it. We can see the macro, we see the micro, moreover we have to look at the details through numbers and data," he said.

The global situation also encourages inflation which is now a scourge in all countries. Indonesia's inflation as of July 2022 is at 4.94 percent (year on year).

The President said that this figure is still better than some other countries. Such as Turkey, whose inflation reached 79 percent, the European Union 8.9 percent, and the United States which reached 8.5 percent.

The Head of State also reminded that Indonesia's inflation rate, which is still at 4.94 percent, is due to the large amount of subsidies. For energy, the government subsidizes up to IDR 502 trillion from the state budget.

The President will also ask the Minister of Finance to calculate the ability of the government's APBN to continue the subsidy. "Pertalite, Pertamax, diesel, LPG, electricity are not the actual prices, not economic prices, those are prices subsidized by the government," he said.

"Our calculations are that this year the subsidy is IDR 502 trillion, a very large number. This is what we need to know, what for?, to prevent inflation from being high," he said, adding.

Regarding food prices, the President invited all parties to be grateful because food prices in Indonesia are still stable. Especially rice.

In Indonesia, the price of rice is much cheaper when compared to a number of countries. Such as in Japan Rp. 66,000, South Korea Rp. 54,000, the United States Rp. 53,000, and China Rp. 26,000.

"This is what we must maintain and improve so that we are not only self-sufficient in rice, but later we can export rice. Participate in overcoming food shortages in several countries because it has been a disaster," he said. (RRI)