GOVERNMENT ADAPTS MEASURES TO ANTICIPATE EL NINO

Jakarta, Aug 3 (ANTARA) - The government will continue to anticipate the possible El-Nino that may cause drought in late 2009 and early 2010 in some parts of Indonesia.

"In order not to disrupt food security, we have therefore adopted, and will continue to adopt measures to anticipate and overcome the impact of El-Nino," President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said.

The president made the statement in his state-of-the-nation address on the occasion of the presentation of the government introduction on the bill on state revenue and expenditure of fiscal note before the extraordinary plenary session of the House of Representatives (DPR) here on Monday.

According to the president, the anticipation was made by way of among other things, securing sufficient rice stock from the stock of the Logistics Agency (Bulog) with minimum of 1.5 million tons.

"The government will also continue to and carry out the subsidized rice program for 17.5 million targeted households with 15 kg per household during a period of 12 months," the head of sate said.

In addition, he said the government would also continue to ensure food price stability, especially of rice, by providing standby fund for contingency purposes, totaling to around Rp1 trillion in 2010.

The president said the government would also see to it that dams and dikes would function well.

"To anticipate the drought that may possible cause forest fire, I have instructed the regional governments to anticipate and prevent the fire from spreading," the president said.

With regard to energy security, the head of state said production intensification and diversification programs had been carried out, as well as distribution management to secure energy supply.

"Efforts are also being continued to manage energy demand," the president said.

In spite of the global economic crisis, the president said the government would continue to try maintaining the national economic growth at a relatively high rate, at least between 4-4.5 percent.

"If we could attain this, it would be the sole achievement in the midst of the current global economic recession," the president said, adding that when many countries are suffering from negative growth, Indonesia can still record a relatively high growth.