RI Wants To Boost Service Sector's Performance

Surabaya, East Java, April 19 (Antara) - Indonesia intends to boost its service sector`s performance to support economic growth, Trade Minister Gita Wirjawan said here on Friday during the Indonesia Dialogue Services held on the sidelines of APEC Trade-Related Ministerial Meeting. "The Service sector contributes to 50 percent of Indonesia`s total Gross Domestic Products (GDP) and able to absorb 50 million employees out of the total of 115 million. In the future we want to boost the performance of this sector with emphasizing to increase its value chain," said the minister. According to him, more investments in the education and infrastructure sectors are expected to improve service performance. An improved service sector will be able to ease off the flow of goods, reduce cost of transportation and logistic matters while also erased the economic gap among people. "The service has been a big economic component for developed countries but not yet to developing countries. In developed countries, the service sector contributes 70 percent of its GDP while Indonesia only has 50 percent. But we are already on the right track to improve this sector, " the minister added. Meanwhile Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Suryo Sulisto said the service sector determines Indonesia`s economic development and play a role in the country`s competitiveness in the world. Hence he urges the government to improve the service sector in line with the development of infrastructure. "This will help us become more competitive especially with the upcoming realization of the ASEAN Community in 2015," he added.