Jokowi Believes That The Indonesian Economy Is Far Above The Average World Growth

President Joko Widodo. (Photo: Aris Nurjani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) is optimistic about the Indonesian economy in 2024 because Indonesia has a positive economy and politics.

"Entering 2024, we have no reason not to be optimistic. In 2024, we must be full of optimism. The figures have been conveyed by the Coordinating Minister for the Economy. We have the capital for optimism. Both economic capital and political capital," he said at the 2024 Indonesian Economic Outlook National Seminar in Jakarta, Friday, December 22.

According to Jokowi, this optimistic reason comes from several indicators of Indonesia's economy, such as economic growth, which is still in the range of 5 percent or higher than the global average of only 2.9 percent, and inflation is still at 2.86 percent or still at the global inflation rate of 7.2 percent.

Meanwhile, other optimistic origins come from the increase in the absorption rate of national workers, namely 4.5 million people from August 2022 to August 2023, PMI manufacturing at the expansionary level, namely 51.7, trade balance surplus 43 consecutive months, and Consumer Confidence Index November 2023 at 123.6.

Nevertheless, Jokowi is still worried about commodity prices due to global uncertainty and the Middle East conflict.

However, Jokowi said that oil prices would not be as volatile as in recent years. The concerns are in the food commodity, especially due to the impact of the existence of a super el nino.

"The price of this food commodity must be careful. I am a little worried about food commodities because yesterday when our rice production super el nino fell," he said.