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By APD writer Maverick
**JAKARTA, Jan. 2 (APD) ** — Indonesia posted lower poverty and inflation rates last year, with poverty rate recorded the biggest drop in the last seven years, Indonesian statistics agency announced on Tuesday.
Speaking in his office premises here, Head of Indonesia’s Central Statistics Bureau (BPS) Kecuk Suhariyanto said that poverty rate as of September last year stood at 10.12 percent, or accounted for 26.58 million ones from the population.
That figure was lower than 10.64 percent, accounted for 27.77 million ones recorded in March.
It indicated that the nation’s poverty figure has significantly reduced by 1.19
million ones within six months, he added.
“In term of percentage it was a satisfying figure. That was the fastest drop in the last seven years,” he said.
He added the poverty reduction was occurred in urban and rural areas, accounted for 401 thousands and 786 thousands people respectively within those six months.
Meanwhile, in the same occasion Kecuk also said that the nation has posted a lower-than-expected inflation figure at 3.61 percent throughout the year, indicating sound economy in Southeast Asian largest economy with prices remained fully under control.
The figure was far lower than 4.3 percent initially set in the nation’s state budget assumption.
He added that the highest inflation throughout the year took place in December at 0.71 percent with the most significant contributor was price of electricity.
Commenting on the satisfying inflation and poverty figures announced by the BPS, Indonesia Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said later in the day that it has proved government’s correct measures to control the volitive prices circulating in domestic market and assistance program for the poor.
“It all indicate positive trend for further economy development in the country,” she said.
Indonesia is expecting to see 5.05 percent economic growth for 2017 amid positive growth trend in its economy in the last few quarters, expanding from 4.88 and 5.02 percent in 2015 and 2016 respectively.
(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)
