Vice President Kalla Reiterates RI Is Not Seeking IMF Loan

Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla reiterated on Monday that Indonesia is not seeking a loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"We will not ask for a loan," he said at his office.

IMF officials are slated to attend an international conference here on September 1 and 2.

Vice President Kalla said IMF representatives at the event wanted to evaluate economic conditions in Asia, including Indonesia.

On the other hand, Indonesia also wishes to discuss with the IMF, the current global economic conditions, he stated.

Bank Indonesia plans to raise the issue of financing at the conference, which is based on the theme, "The Future of Asia's Finance."

The central bank's Communication Department¿s Executive Director, Tirta Segara, said the issue was considered important, especially with regards to President Joko Widodo government's focus on investment, especially in the infrastructure sector.

"This is aimed at contributing how the financial sector can generate financing options so that investment for infrastructure can take place," he said on Monday.

The IMF had said that the presence of IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde at the conference would not mean that the organization was open to discussing new loans.

"The Managing Director is visiting Indonesia to participate in the scheduled high-level conference organized by Bank Indonesia and IMF on the future of the financial system in Asia," IMF Senior President and Representative for Indonesia, Ben Bingham, said.

He made the statement in response to reports that Lagarde's visit to Indonesia was for discussing a new loan program for Indonesia, which Bingham said was baseless. (WDY)