REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has asked ministers of the working cabinet to remain focused on their work during the 2018 political year.
"Although 2018 is a political year, I once again reiterate you to focus on works, particularly to boost economic growth, address inequality, and reduce poverty rate," the Head of State noted, while chairing a plenary cabinet meeting here, on Wednesday.
The meeting was attended by Vice President M Jusuf Kalla, Chief of the Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, National Police Chief General Tito Karnavian, and all ministers.
The international confidence in Indonesia is high thanks to the government's policies on licensing reform, deregulation, and ease in doing business, he stated.
Fitch Rating has upgraded Indonesia¿s debt rating from BBB- to BBB with stable outlook, he remarked, adding that it was due to Indonesia's efforts to strengthen its economic resilience and its success in maintaining stability.
He expressed hope that the ministers could further improve those achievements in 2018.
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Jokowi also asked the minister to address social gap and inequality.
"I just received reports from Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) that in September 2017, the number of underprivileged people in Indonesia was 26.58 million, or 10.12 percent (of the total population), a decrease of 0.52 percent from 27.77 million in March 2017, or down 11.13 percent compared to that in September 2015, and 10.70 percent in September 2016," he noted.
He instructed the ministers to control commodity prices and carry out the cash-for-work program.
Besides, the president urged state officials to increase human resources training program in 2018.
"In 2018, we should be concerned about human resources training program. Our population is 250 million, of which 60 percent are young people," Jokowi stated.
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