TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Central Statistics Agency (BPS) head Suhariyanto said Java island still dominated the country’s economic structure, as evident in the national economic growth in the third quarter. He said Java Island contributed the most to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) with 58.57 percent.

“Java island is still the center of the state economy with economic growth at 5.74 percent,” said Suhariyanto in BPS office in Jakarta on November 5, adding that changing the economic structure would require a long time.

Suhariyanto said several regions of east Indonesia recorded higher economic growth than Java island, including Maluku and Papua at 6.87 percent. However, both regions only contributed 2.5 percent to the National GDP.

“Sulawesi also grows above the national economic growth,” he said, adding that it contributed 6.28 percent with economic growth at 6.74 percent.

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Sumatra was the second after Java island with contribution to National GDP at 21.53 percent, climbing by 4.72 percent in the Q3 of 2018. Kalimantan also recorded a 3.45 percent growth with 8.07 percent contribution to the National GDP.

Bali and Nusa Tenggara, meanwhile, saw negative growth despite Bali Province's and East Nusa Tenggara’s fair growth at 6.24 percent and 5.14 percent, respectively.

However, East Nusa Tenggara recorded economic growth at -13.99 percent due to the earthquakes in the past month.

In general, BPS explained, the national economic growth in the third quarter of 2018 was 5.17 percent. The figure was lower than that of the second quarter at 5.27 percent and higher than in the first quarter at 5.06 percent.

CAESAR AKBAR