Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Indonesia could be more optimistic in setting its economic growth target for 2017, the country's second largest party Golkar said.

Hamka B Kady, the spokesman of the Golkar faction at the Parliament said his party wants a more  optimistic target at 5.5-6.1 percent in 2017.

There government has proposed in its draft state budget the country's economic growth target at 5.3-5.5 percent for 2017.

 "Golkar asks for a more optimistic target," Hamka  said here on Thursday in commenting on macro economic  and fiscal policy outlined by the government in plenary session of the parliament earlier.

He said economic growth could be pushed up  by increasing tax revenues  and boosting direct investment.

"Tax revenues could be increased through expansion of tax payers especially individual tax payers.  In addition, the government  could still widen deficit to increase capital spending," he said.

Spokesman of the PKB faction Cucunahmad Syamsurijal described the government's economic growth target as moderate as the country could still perform better  with demography 'bonus'  and growing middle class.

"We still see the strength of demography bonus  and the middle class to push up growth  and the government's commitment to control budget deficit despite expansive spending," Syamsurijal said.

Gerindra and PAN factions, however, expressed pessimism, saying the growth target was too high.

The two factions predicted the  country's economy would grow only by around 5 percent-5.5 percent in 2017 as the global economic slowdown is expected to continue through  next year.

Earlier, Finance Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro told the House of Representatives in a plenary session a number of assumptions used in calculating the 2017 draft state budget to be proposed to the parliament.

Bambang said the economic growth target was set by taking into consideration improving trend of the global economy , implementation of big infrastructure projects  and purchase power of the people.

The minister said the assumptions were also based on a number of other factors including limited production capacity, and weak competitiveness on  limited infrastructure, skilled human resources, technology  and food security. (WDY)

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Editor : I Gusti Bagus Widyantara


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