I remind North Maluku Province to be careful since their economic growth is quite good at 27 percentJakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that North Maluku Province should continue to maintain and increase regional economic growth that has reached 27 percent.
"I remind North Maluku Province to be careful since their economic growth is quite good at 27 percent," Jokowi noted in his remarks at the 2022 Bank Indonesia Annual Meeting here, Wednesday.
According to Jokowi, economic growth in North Maluku has been very high and it has even become the province, with the highest economic growth in the world.
"You do not believe it? Check it for yourself," he remarked.
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The head of state noted that economic growth in North Maluku was due to downstreaming in the smelter industry that would continue to grow if the nickel-derivative industry can be run optimally.
"That is why I ask North Maluku Province to be careful to maintain the condition," he stated.
Jokowi then spoke of his experience of visiting the market in Ternate, North Maluku, last month. He recalled having found commodity prices in the Ternate market as being very stable. Based on a report by Bank Indonesia, inflation in North Maluku was only 3.3 percent.
"How can the people not be happy, as inflation is only 3.3 percent and economic growth is 27 percent. Hence, I entrusted it to the governor, to be careful and do not make the wrong policy that could hamper investment," Jokowi remarked.
He explained that the condition in North Maluku showed that infrastructure outside Java Island had a major influence on new economic growth points.
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For instance, Mandalika region in West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) and Labuan Bajo in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) have become new economic growth points for the tourism sector, he noted.
"When things return to normal and the policy in NTT is well prepared, Labuan Bajo will become a new economic growth point. In Morowali, for instance, it will become our country's economic growth point as well," he stated.
The president noted that currently, investment rate outside Java is bigger. If in the past, the investment ratio between Java and outside Java was 70:30 percent, now, investment outside Java has reached 53 percent.
"In my opinion, this is the result of building infrastructure. (This is) followed by growing new economic growth points and followed by investment heading outside Java," he stated.
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Translator: Rangga Pandu A J, Resinta S
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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