2013 Investment Target Attainable: Deputy Minister

Jakarta, Sept 23 (Antara) - Deputy Finance Minister Mahendra Siregar has said he is optimistic that the 2013 investment target of Rp390 trillion is attainable, despite the slowdown in Indonesia`s economic growth. "I am optimistic that the overall investment target of around Rp390 trillion can be achieved this year," Mahendra Siregar stated at a seminar here on Monday. He further pointed out that the realization of investment for the first semester of 2013 had been recorded at Rp192.8 trillion by the Capital Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM). But Siregar noted that the government investment target of Rp506 trillion for 2014 must be adjusted, based on the progress of economic growth during that year. "We have to wait and see if the investment target during that year can be reached or not and if it is in line with the adjusted economic growth during 2014," the minister said. Siregar added that the government should also take into consideration the comments made by various parties, which relate to the domestic economic conditions and investment targets. But he reiterated that 2013`s investment target could be realized by the end of the year, given that investments would increase in the run up to the 2014 general elections.