VP: INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT ONE OF ECONOMIC STIMULI

Jakarta, Jan 22 (ANTARA) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla said on Thursday the government will in 2009 encourage the development of the infrastructure sector as one of the stimuli to boost the economy amidst the global economic downturn.
"(The government) is now giving a priority to the development of the infrastructure sector to stimulate the economy so that the people can work to encourage the economy," he said.
Noting that the global financial crisis had led to low demand for the Indonesian goods, he said the domestic market should be boosted to support the economy.
"We must develop domestic activities by carrying out infrastructure projects so people can continue to work," he said.
The government plans to launch an economic stimilus package which will cost an estimated Rp50.5 trillion to address the looming impact of the current global financial crisis.
The vice president said the infrastructure projects the government would develop this year must meet at least three criteria.
First, they must be useful to the community; second, they must use a great deal of local products and third, they must employ a large number of people, he said.
"In 2009 alone, we have allocated another Rp10 trillion in funds to develop the infrastructure sector," he said.