Efficiency to promote national economy

Makassar. Indonesia is still left with the problem inequality as only 1 percent of population control 50 percent of national assets which puts Indonesia at risk of leaving its poor and vulnerable behind.

“We have to reduce such inequality, not by lessening the group of 1 percent, but by improving the remaining 99 percent. This needs efficiency, in addition to growing added values,” said Vice President Jusuf Kalla in a morning talk with business players in South Sulawesi, held at Makassar Golden Hotel on Sunday, January 17.

He further explained there are four steps of efficiency.

First, he said, is efficiency in banking.

In Indonesia, the Vice President said, injustice exists in the bank industry as small-scale business players are imposed with higher credit interest rate compared to that imposed to big businesses.

“Government is committed to make the rate to be one digit. All banks must not exceed 9 percent for their credit interest rate,” he said, adding that this is an effort to make all elements of the state to move forward together.

The second step, Mr Kalla continued, is infrastructure development.

“We have allocated 300 trillion rupiahs (US$21.64 billions) for infrastructure this year, compared to only 200 trillion rupiahs last year,” he said.

The third step in achieving efficiency, the Vice President said, is the easy business license process; while the fourth is reliable transportation of goods from and to ports as this is one of the keys to quick distribution and lower cost.

“Besides, we need to complete it with internet and containers. Internet will speed up transaction and flow of information, while containers will ensure commodities sent are secure,” he said.

In addition to all those four efficiency steps, the Vice President said, young generation need to be encouraged to have the spirit of entrepreneurship.

“This is the basis to develop our economy in the future,” he said.

Also present at the meeting were South S Governor Syahrul Yasin Limpo and Makassar Mayor Mohammad Ramdhan Pomanto.