Next govt must tackle economic woes: Survey<\/p>\n
M. Taufiqurrahman, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The administration of president-elect Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono
\nmust make tackling the economic problems afflicting the country's
\nmost needy as its top priority if it wants to stay the course for
\nthe next five years, an independent survey revealed on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The Jakarta-based Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI) in its
\npost-election survey revealed that over 60 percent of respondents
\nwanted to see Susilo's administration tackle the economic
\nproblems that have plagued the country since 1997.<\/p>\n
\"Forty seven percent of respondents said that high prices of
\nbasic commodities concerned them most, while another 21 percent
\nstated that unemployment was the most crucial issue,\" the survey
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
For the survey, the LSI interviewed 1,200 respondents in the
\ncountry's 32 provinces, including strife-torn Nanggroe Aceh
\nDarussalam and Maluku, between Oct. 2 and Oct. 4. The margin of
\nerror is 2.9 percent.<\/p>\n
The survey also found that 48.1 percent of respondents
\nconsidered the country's economic situation as being very bad,
\nagainst 37.3 percent who said that conditions were normal.<\/p>\n
The Susilo administration will likely have to work hard to
\njustify any move to cut fuel subsidy spending, which has reached
\nan astronomical Rp 62 trillion (US$6.8 billion), as 25.5 percent
\nof respondents wanted the government to maintain fuel price
\nstability as part of its main economic priorities during its
\nfirst 100 days in office.<\/p>\n
The chronic corruption that has plagued the country for
\ndecades did not seem to bother the respondents, however, with
\nonly 5.7 percent of the respondents saying they considered it the
\nmost pressing problem facing the new government.<\/p>\n
The public also showed little interest in seeing Susilo's
\ngovernment put terrorism at the top of its list. \"Only 1.3
\npercent considered that terrorism is the most crucial issue the
\ncountry has currently to deal with,\" the survey said.<\/p>\n
LSI chief researcher Sjaiful Mujani said that Susilo did not
\nhave to listen to everything the public said. \"Raising the fuel
\nprice would be a difficult decision as the public will surely
\noppose it, but on the other hand the amount of subsidy spending
\nis already too burdensome for the state budget. However, he could
\ncompensate for the fuel price hike with a stepped up drive
\nagainst corruption,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that public resentment against fuel price hikes could
\nbe allayed by taking legal action against suspected corruptors.
\n\"He needs to apply shock therapy,\" Sjaiful said.<\/p>\n
Economist Rizal Ramli said that Susilo's administration should
\nconcentrate its efforts on mitigating the economic woes that
\nafflict the most needy if it wanted to see out its 2004-2009
\nterm.<\/p>\n
\"President Megawati Soekarnoputri lost the election because
\nher administration only focused on fiscal stability, which in
\nfact has little to do with the ordinary people's well-being,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Susilo, who won the Sept. 20 election in a landslide victory,
\nwill assume the national leadership on Oct. 20.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/next-govt-must-tackle-economic-woes-survey-1447893297",
"image": ""
},
"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
}