Economic Growth to be Set at About 6.3 Percent

Jakarta (Antara) - Chief Economic Minister Hatta Rajasa said the government would revise down the assumption of its economic growth from 6.8 percent to between 6.2 percent and 6.3 percent in the Revised 2013 State Budget. "We hope the country's economic growth will be set at between 6.2 percent and 6.3 percent, lower than the previously set at 6.8 percent in the 2013 state budget," Hatta said after attending a limited cabinet meeting at the Presidential Office here on Tuesday evening. According to Hatta, the revised economic growth assumption was more realistic owing to the fact that the economic condition in the world was still facing uncertainties. After all, the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) has recorded that the economic growth in the first semester of 2013 was only 6.02 percent. Hatta, who is also acting finance minister, said that there were several indicators showing growth slowdown. All growth is declining in such sectors as gross capital goods growth (PMTB) rate, exports and capital import. The world economy has yet to show positive signs. Indonesia is still saved by domestic investment and consumption growth. The two sectors still serve as the country's main hope for its economic growth. Hatta Rajasa said the national economy is likely to expand by a range of 6.3 percent to 6.4 percent this year. He said the oil lifting (oil sale) target of 900,000 barrels per day will also be revised as oil production is expected to drop this year. "It is unlikely to achieve the oil lifting target of 900,000 barrels per day. The oil lifting is likely to reach around 800,000 barrels per day," he said. (*)