PRESENT POLITICAL SITUATION MAY AFFECT ECONOMY: HIPMI

Jakarta, March 1 (ANTARA) - Chairman of the Indonesian Young Entrepreneurs Association (HIPMI) said the present political situation in Indonesia could affect the country's economy.

"The political elite must be sensitive to the people's suffering.If they continue to quarrel, this country will never be able to develop its economy. We have to avoid disunity and put the common interest above that of groups or individuals," the HIPMI chairman told a press conference here on Monday.

Therefore, he called on the country's political elite to put aside their personal and egoistic agendas and give priority to togetherness and unity.

He said that political elite in the legislative and executive branches should not lose too much time by political bickering because their term in office to provide services for the people was too short.

"The first year after the election is now almost past but what has the government done to develop the country's economy?," he questioned.

This was why, he said, HIPMI was calling on the parliament and the government to cooperate immediately in making the national development programs a success in the time they still had.

He expressed concern that the quarrels among the elite groups would cause the people and investors to lose trust in the country's economic environment which was actually already beginning to improve
"The House still has a lot of bills or draft laws to finish while the executive also needs tranquility to execute its programs. So, both of them need to unite. They should not attack each other," he said.

On the occasion, Aksa also referred to the ideal lending rates for developing industries in the country.

"The ideal credit interest rate in Indonesia is between 9 percent and 10 percent, like in other countries," Aksa said here on Monday.

The HIPMI chairman said that Indonesian banks should not be spoiled with high interest rates, and for this purpose the government should intervene to make banks lower their lending rates.