Five Regions Record Inflation Rates Above 5 Percent, President Jokowi Will Directly Review The Causes

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. (Photo: Doc. Setpres)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that currently, all countries are facing a very, very difficult situation. Especially, related to inflation rate pressure.

Big countries experience very high inflation. But fortunately, Indonesia is at 4.9 percent.

This was conveyed by President Joko Widodo at the opening of the 2022 National Coordination Meeting for Inflation Control, broadcast from the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube.

"Look at our inflation now, the Governor of BI said it was at 4.9 percent. Look at other countries, try, really high above 5 some have been raised 79 percent. The European Union has 8.9 percent, America has 9.1 percent yesterday, down 8.5 percent. This is not something easy, this is a scourge for all countries," said Jokowi, Thursday, August 18.

Even so, Jokowi believes that these challenges will be overcome with the cooperation of all parties. This includes coordination and mutual synergy between regional heads at the provincial and district/city levels and the central-regional inflation control team (TPIP-TPID).

"But I believe that the cooperation that I mentioned earlier for the provinces, regencies/cities, governors, regents, mayors, TPIP, TPID are all working, finished, finished," he said.

The former governor of DKI Jakarta also believes that Indonesia's inflation can be reduced to 3 percent if the cooperation is implemented and realized effectively.

"Returning numbers below 3, done, our people also have the goods," he explained.

Jokowi also highlighted the high inflation rate in a number of provinces. There are five regions that are asked to be careful because the inflation rate is already above 5 percent. Far above the national inflation rate.

The five regions in question are Jambi 8.55 percent; West Sumatra 8.01 percent; Bangka Belitung 7.77 percent; Riau 7.04 percent and Aceh 6.97 percent. Of the five regions, Jambi is the area with the highest inflation.

"Jambi province is careful, it is at 8.55 percent. West Sumatra, Bangka Belitung, Riau, Aceh.

"Please look at this in detail what caused this (high inflation), so that we can solve it together and can drop below 5 again, thankfully it can be below 3," he said.

The former mayor of Solo also admitted that he would directly visit the regions to check the inflation rate. Therefore, Jokowi asked all regional heads to know about inflation in their region in order to find the right solution so that it can be controlled.

"The provinces must know what number my inflation position is. Later when I go to the regions, I ask, don't be confused, don't understand what the inflation position of the province is at. You have to know which ones are high (price of goods), which ones are not in a normal position, which ones are at a higher level. low position," he said.

Jokowi also asked TPIP and TPID to monitor prices of basic necessities more often. If the problem is the scarcity of supplies, said Jokowi, regions with excess supply of basic needs can share.

"Ask in our area what the price increases that causes inflation. It could be rice, it could. It could be red onions, it could be. It could be chili and check TPIP, check which areas have an abundant supply of chili or an abundant supply of rice, this must be continued. "This must be connected, because this country is very big," he said.