04 Aug 2016

President Jokowi asks regions to have a budget to control prices

President Jokowi asks regions to have a budget to control prices. `There is a budget for controlling prices so that when there are fluctuations, interventions can be made. There are several interventions in the APBD budget,` the President said at the opening of the national coordination meeting of the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID) in Jakarta, Thursday.President Jokowi gave the example of the East Java provincial government policy which intervenes in transportation, and the policy of the Jakarta Special Capital Region (DKI) in intervening in prices through family cardholders who do not receive a lot of welfare. `There is a subsidy there. I think other cities can do this, apart from routine things like the cheap markets we do. But it would be better if it was more detailed,` President Jokowi said.The President also reminded police chiefs at the resort level (kapolres), the public prosecutor's office and local governments to monitor warehouses at least twice a week or once a month. `Do they collect too much, which would mean that they intend to manipulate prices? Do they not have any stock? We should know this,` the President said. The President said that if stock is running low, then there must be an action to increase it, and if it is overflowing, then it is ordered that it is taken out so that prices in the region can be stabilized again.The President also asked regional leaders to pay attention to infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, so that they are maintained and do not result in excessive costs. `Transportation, are roads damaged, bridges damaged? If the district/city can make repairs, please do so. If not, report it to the central government so that we can do it,` the President said.President Jokowi said that if infrastructure is damaged, then the price of transportation will definitely be high because of the increase in the cost of fuel.The President also reminded regional heads to pay attention to the availability of distribution of supply of goods so that no price increases occur.President Jokowi gave the example of the price of shallots in Brebes, Central Java, which is Rp12,000, but in Jakarta it goes up to Rp40,000 because there is not only the problem of transportation, but also the problem of storage of loading and unloading of goods. `When loading and unloading, give guidance to farmers so that the 100 kg worth of shallots that they send should reach here as 100 kg. But in reality there is a lot of damage. When loading and unloading, out of 100 kg of what is sent, 15 to 20 percent can be damaged, so of 100 kg, the loss is 20 kg. This will increase the price,` the President said.Therefore, the President urged regional leaders to pay attention to the small, detailed things and the microeconomic issues so that no price fluctuations occur.The President reminded them that when managing the government, it is necessary to pay attention to two things: economic growth and controlled inflation.Furthermore, the President reminded them that developed countries have low inflation rates, such as Malaysia at 2.1 percent in 2015, the United States at 0.12 percent, and Europe at 0.04 percent, which shows price stability.President Jokowi asked the regional heads to maintain the inflation rate so that the target of plus/minus 3.5 percent for this year is reached and is expected to drop to below two percent. `If you, Governors, Regents and Mayors can do this, we will be finished. If you can push it down below two percent and maintain economic growth at above five percent, this means that people have money and can shop easily. This is the big job that we have to do,` President Joko Widodo said.
Editor: Priyambodo RH
http://www.antaranews.com/berita/576788/presiden-jokowi-minta-daerah-miliki-anggaran-kendali-harga

"There is a budget for controlling prices so that when there are fluctuations, interventions can be made. There are several interventions in the APBD budget," the President said at the opening of the national coordination meeting of the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID) in Jakarta, Thursday.

President Jokowi gave the example of the East Java provincial government policy which intervenes in transportation, and the policy of the Jakarta Special Capital Region (DKI) in intervening in prices through family cardholders who do not receive a lot of welfare.

"There is a subsidy there. I think other cities can do this, apart from routine things like the cheap markets we do. But it would be better if it was more detailed," President Jokowi said.

The President also reminded police chiefs at the resort level (kapolres), the public prosecutor's office and local governments to monitor warehouses at least twice a week or once a month.

"Do they collect too much, which would mean that they intend to manipulate prices? Do they not have any stock? We should know this," the President said.

The President said that if stock is running low, then there must be an action to increase it, and if it is overflowing, then it is ordered that it is taken out so that prices in the region can be stabilized again.

The President also asked regional leaders to pay attention to infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, so that they are maintained and do not result in excessive costs.

"Transportation, are roads damaged, bridges damaged? If the district/city can make repairs, please do so. If not, report it to the central government so that we can do it," the President said.

President Jokowi said that if infrastructure is damaged, then the price of transportation will definitely be high because of the increase in the cost of fuel.

The President also reminded regional heads to pay attention to the availability of distribution of supply of goods so that no price increases occur.

President Jokowi gave the example of the price of shallots in Brebes, Central Java, which is Rp12,000, but in Jakarta it goes up to Rp40,000 because there is not only the problem of transportation, but also the problem of storage of loading and unloading of goods.

"When loading and unloading, give guidance to farmers so that the 100 kg worth of shallots that they send should reach here as 100 kg. But in reality there is a lot of damage. When loading and unloading, out of 100 kg of what is sent, 15 to 20 percent can be damaged, so of 100 kg, the loss is 20 kg. This will increase the price," the President said.

Therefore, the President urged regional leaders to pay attention to the small, detailed things and the microeconomic issues so that no price fluctuations occur.

The President reminded them that when managing the government, it is necessary to pay attention to two things: economic growth and controlled inflation.

Furthermore, the President reminded them that developed countries have low inflation rates, such as Malaysia at 2.1 percent in 2015, the United States at 0.12 percent, and Europe at 0.04 percent, which shows price stability.

President Jokowi asked the regional heads to maintain the inflation rate so that the target of plus/minus 3.5 percent for this year is reached and is expected to drop to below two percent.

"If you, Governors, Regents and Mayors can do this, we will be finished. If you can push it down below two percent and maintain economic growth at above five percent, this means that people have money and can shop easily. This is the big job that we have to do," President Joko Widodo said.