Airlangga Says The Indonesian Economy Grows Above 5 Percent Very Allowable

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, is optimistic that Indonesia's economic growth will grow above five percent this year.

This belief stems from the achievement of the previous year, when during the COVID-19 pandemic in the second quarter of 2021, economic growth had touched the level of 7 percent.

"At that time we were able to contract economic growth in the first quarter of 7 percent," said Airlangga at the 58th Anniversary of the Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs Celebration, Thursday, July 25.

Despite being hit by the pandemic, he continued, Indonesia's economic growth was still maintained in the range of 5 percent, even much better than other countries.

"Well, now we can maintain economic growth at 5 percent and of course we see that high economic growth is something that is possible," he said.

Airlangga said Indonesia is experiencing difficulties in being able to deal with various impacts of the pandemic, ranging from health, social, to the economy.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the story of Airlangga, the policy to protect the domestic economy is by widening the state budget deficit from the restrictions set out in the State Finance Act.

"Where in COVID-19 the challenges are certainly extraordinary because the whole world does not have a reference and what is really faced is health problems, welfare problems, supply chain problems for industry and economic growth problems and for the first time we make efforts to handle it by not unusually issuing Government Regulations in Lieu of Law (Perppu) and widening the budget deficit," he concluded.