Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia needs a law on population growth rate control now that its population has undergone a significant increase that has created many problems, an official said.

"A law that regulates population growth rate is very crucial and needed in Indonesia," Chief of the National Population and Family Planning Agency (BKKB) Sugiri Syarief said here on Tuesday.

The House of Representatives (DPR)`s Commission IX is currently considering a bill on population growth control.

The idea to produce such a law came up during a hearing between members of the Commission iX and BKKBN officials at the Parliament Building here on Monday.

"I hope the study on the bill can be realized soon because the nation badly needs a law on population growth control ," he said.

The hearing was participated in by Chairman of DPR`s Commission IX Ribka Tjiptaning, the commission`s members, Head of BKKBN Sugiri Syarief, BKKBN Senior Secretary Sudibyo Alimoeso and several other officials of the agency.

Sugiri said Indonesia`s population growth rate was still high, namely 1.49 percent per year.

The country`s population currently was estimated at around 240 million.

To slow down the population growth , BKKN was carrying out various programs such as a family planning revitalization program, the launching of a population grand design and family planning programs on islands.

"Besides, we are also trying to sign cooperation agreements with various stakeholders to support the family planning program because BKKBN needs support from many parties," Sugiri said. (*)

Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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