KADIN MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT ECONOMY IN 2010

Jakarta, Jan 12 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) is optimistic towards the country's economy in 2010 raising its maximal projection of growth to 6.5 percent.

"We revised our projection figures up. Seeing the growth of the world's economy, our economic growth this year may be better," the head of Kadin's Economic Research, Assessment and Development, Faisal Basri, said here on Tuesday.

The optimism also came from the projection of the world's economy by the International Monetary Fund which rose from minus 1.1 percent in 2009 to 3.1 percent in 2010.

The improving macro-economic condition, in which the rupiah exchange rate against other foreign currencies is good and the country's foreign exchange reserves are also relatively good, has also made Kadin correct its projection put in its road map.

He however reminded that the government should not be complacent as the goal to achieve would not be mere economic growth.

"Growth must be higher if it is not it is useless to have a new leader. The people's welfare is the main goal," he said.

Kadin's vice general chairman for industry, technology and marine resources, Rahmat Gobel, said Kadin's optimism must not make the government offguard.

He said the government's homework must be finished immediately such as infrastructure development, supplying electricity at a fair price and protecting domestic manufacturing industries with supporting policies.

"In any case the government must strengthen the industrial structure because after all the industry will contribute a lot to the economic growth if it is strong," he said.

He hoped the government would start with the simple one namely implementing the national standard (SNI) on all products to increase their competitive power in the global market.

Kadin in its road map has projected the country's economy will grow 5.4 percent to 5.9 percent.