Denpasar (Antara Bali) - Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa has expressed hope that the people would work hard to develop the nation`s economy in the face of global competition.
"I hope all components of the people would work hard to build the nation`s economy in all sectors so that the people`s welfare would be created as soon as possible," the coordinating minister for economic affairs said here on Saturday.
He was here to attend a coordination meeting of Muhammadiyah university students association. The minister explained that the idea to create self-reliance in all sectors would depend on the people`s themselves.
"The government continues to encourage the people to achieve their ideals and meet their hopes," Hatta added.
He said that Indonesia`s economy now was relatively good but the government should develop it further so that the country`s economic performance would be better. The economy should also be supported with enough infrastructures in order to develop a better economy, the chief economic minister said.
"Without enough infrastructure facilities it would be impossible for the country to achieve self-reliance in all sectors, including the food which is the people`s main need," Hatta said.
He explained that Indonesia would likely face a very heavy burden in its to achieve its targets. Therefore, the government continues to see what policies were to be taken to control fuel oil consumption.
"Fuel imports have significant impact on the trade balance which also have impacts on the country`s economic growth," the minister said.
Therefore, he said, the government is calling on all sides to save on the use of fuel oils so that Indonesia`s imports of this commodity would not continue to increase.
"Fuel consumption efficiency can cut the volumes of fuels that would be consumed, and could cover the increase in the need for energy as a result of the increasing number of population," the said.
This year, the amount of subsidized fuels in the state budget was set at 46 million kiloliters with subsidy worth Rp193.8 trillion.
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Jero Wacik said last month that the government would restrict the use of subsidized fuels by private cars or raise prices if it failed to control consumption.
"The government is studying how to restrict subsidized fuel consumption by private cars. It is also considering the option of raising fuel oil prices. The government will take one of the two options if we fail to control fuel consumption," Jero Wacik said. (*/T007)
