Airfares remain high.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesia recorded a rise of 0.44 percent in its inflation rate in April, augmented mainly by a hike in airfares, according to the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

"The prices of air tickets remain high," BPS Chief Suharyanto noted here on Thursday.

This hike in airfares contributed 0.03 percent inflation to the transportation, communication, and financial services field in the country's 35 cities, he remarked.

Suharyanto called for another policy to lower the hike in airfares that had contributed to the inflation for the sixth consecutive month since November 2018.

"We are optimistic of a policy being put in place to reduce the prices of air tickets. In the absence of a pertinent policy, the airfares will skyrocket in the fasting month and subsequent festivities of Lebaran," he remarked.

The April 2019 inflation hike has also been attributed to a hike in the prices of various items, comprising onion, garlic, and red chilies, as well as purebred chicken eggs and tomato, he noted.

However, rice, a commodity that has, until now, been among the contributors to national inflation, recorded a deflation of 0.06 percent, he remarked.

On the whole, the highest inflation was recorded in the foodstuffs group, reaching 1.45 percent in April 2019, while transportation, communication, and financial services witnessed a hike in inflation of 0.28 percent, and healthcare experienced an inflation of 0.25 percent.

Processed foods, beverages, cigarettes, and tobacco contributed 0.19 percent to the inflation; while garments recorded an inflation of 0.15 percent; housing, water, electricity, gas, and fuel, 0.12 percent; and education, recreation, and sports, 0.03 percent.

"In the housing sector, inflation resulted from a rise in household rent following a rise in the prices of (building) materials for maintenance, including cement, bricks, sand, and asbestos," he remarked.

Suharyanto pointed out that 77 of the 82 cities surveyed for the consumer price index (IHK) posted inflation, with the highest of 1.3 percent witnessed in Medan and the lowest inflation of 0.03 percent recorded in Pare Pare.

In the meantime, five of the cities posted a deflation, with the highest of 1.27 percent recorded in Manado, and the lowest value of 0.04 percent in Maumere.

The April 2019 inflation brought the calendar inflation from January to April 2019 to 0.8 percent, and year-on-year inflation to 2.83 percent.

Translator: Satyagraha, Suharto
Editor: Bambang Purwanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2019