The banking sector will continue lending to businesses this year, although not as aggressively as in 2008, two senior bankers say. “We don’t want to be too conservative about providing loans,” said Agus Martowardojo, chairman of the Indonesian Bankers Institute, or IBI.

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said on Wednesday that his administration would counter the impact of the global economic recession next year with a fiscal stimulus package worth Rp 12.5 trillion ($1.15 billion). Yudhoyono said the administration’s top priorities were combating inflation, supporting real-sector growth, sustaining consumer purchasing power, protecting the poor and maintaining economic growth.

Samarinda (ANTARA News) - Economic indicators amidst the global financial crisis are predicted to decline in 2009, an Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) executive says. "The global crisis which hit many countries in the world in 2008 will continue this year. We should remain watchful over economic developments in the first quarter of this year," HM Fauzy A Bahtar, chairman of Kadin's East Kalimantan chapter, said here Thursday.