CONNECTIVITY NEEDED TO IMPROVE COMPETITIVENESS

Bali, April 19 (ANTARA) - Indonesia should build domestic connectivity in a bid to step up competitiveness and economic growth, Coordinating Minister for Economy Hatta Rajasa said here on Monday.

"Before developing regional connectivity in Southeast Asia, Indonesia should first build domestic connectivity to step up its competitiveness and economic growth," Hatta Rajasa said in his presentation at national coordinating meeting with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at Tampak Siring Palace here on Monday.

According to him, connectivity building in the next five years should be accompanied with infrastructure development because it was part of the 2015 ASEAN Community plan.

Hatta added that to step up competitive power and infrastructure development, the government should also improve the work force because its dependency ratio has dropped in the past 15 years.

"Supported by the improvement in economic growth in East Asian countries, the work force in in South Korea and Japan has started to improve," Hatta Rajasa said.

He explained that in its next four-year development program, the government would also go ahead with sustainable development with green development which pro growth, pro poor, and pro job.

"Therefore we have to make efficiency for the sake of energy development and waste management in infrastructure development," Hatta Rajasa said, adding that it was also part of the United Indonesia Cabinet II program to build an inclusive, sustainable, and fair economy.

Thus in his presentation at the national coordinating meeting,
Hatta Rajasa explained that up to 2014 the economic growth would reach 7 percent, and unemployment rate 5-6 percent with an income per capita of US$4,500.

Present in the meeting were all cabinet ministers, governors, provincial legislative councils (DPRD) chairmen, state enterprises (BUMN) leaders, and state institution officials.

It will focus on four things concerning Indonesia's economic development over the next five years, an evaluation of pro-people programs, law enforcement and justice for the people, and efforts to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015.