TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Vice President Jusuf Kalla or JK said that manufacturing industry has the potential to advance Indonesia considering only the sector that could quickly boost the people income.

Kalla mentioned that the best and most diligent farmer still had lower income than those working in manufacturing sector. “Because even a great, strongest farmer only has a monthly income at least Rp1 million,” said the Vice President during an event CNBC Economic Outlook 2019 at Westin Hotel, South Jakarta, Thursday, February 28.

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According to Kalla, should farmers could be assigned in the manufacturing industry, their income would quickly jump at around Rp2.5 million to Rp3 million or three times higher than the most diligent farmer.

Meanwhile, based on Prompt Manufacturing Index (PMI) data of Bank Indonesia, the performance of the industry in the fourth quarter of 2018 had declined at 51.92 percent. The index was lower than the previous quarter’s 52.02 percent.

During the occasion, the former chairman of the Golkar party further appealed to all entrepreneurs to have no fear with the current political condition. Moreover, there was no conflict affected the economy for the last four elections.

The political year, Jusuf Kalla deemed, was the best time for investment because prices tend to be lower than that of in common years.

DIAS PRASONGKO