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Students meet VP to discuss economic crisis
Several representatives of the Association of Indonesian Muslim University Students (KAMMI) met Vice President Jusuf Kalla to discuss the latest developments in the countryâs economic conditions at the Vice Presidential Office in Jakarta on Tuesday
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everal representatives of the Association of Indonesian Muslim University Students (KAMMI) met Vice President Jusuf Kalla to discuss the latest developments in the country's economic conditions at the Vice Presidential Office in Jakarta on Tuesday.
'We, the Indonesian students, want to convey our concerns about the current economic conditions. There have been economic slowdowns in the first and second quarters. The weakening of the rupiah has also continued to occur, triggering various economic problems,' KAMMI chairperson Andriyana said as quoted by Antara to journalists in Jakarta on Tuesday.
During the meeting, Andriyana said, KAMMI representatives urged the government to give directives to Indonesian people facing the current global economic slowdown so that they could stay calm despite the crisis.
The association chairperson said the government needed to increase state revenues from taxes and regional developmental budget absorption as part of Indonesia's prime economic drivers.
'There should be legal breakthroughs that policies cannot be criminalized; thus, there will be quite a huge amount of budget absorption to develop the economy. Currently, we don't have such breakthrough approaches,' said Andriyana.
Commenting on the recent Cabinet reshuffle conducted by President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo's administration, Andriyana said Indonesian students would monitor work performances of all Cabinet ministers.
'Let's see whether the newly appointed ministers are capable of responding to the current economic conditions.'
Andriyana said KAMMI members would stage a demonstration next week and to prepare for the peaceful rally the association's representatives had consolidated several parties, including the Cipayung Group (members of student movements from the 1980s).
'On Sept. 4, we will hold a national leaders' meeting [Rapimnas] in Bandung, West Java, to discuss with students from all regions across Indonesia. After Rapimnas, there will be an official statement from KAMMI on the country's current condition,' said Andriyana. (ebf)(++++)
