TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A senior economist Rizal Ramli said that Prabowo Subianto is capable to boost Indonesia economy growth to eight percent if he is elected in the 2019 presidential election. Rizal claimed that it can be seized in a year.

“It can be achieved by 2020. Averagely for the next five years. That affects broader employment and salary,” said Rizal Ramli in Century Hotel, Jakarta, on Monday, April 8.

Rizal said that one of the efforts to increase economic growth is by reducing the tariff of electricity. However, he was tight-lipped to further detail the strategy that would not cause the state-run electricity company PLN experiences bankruptcy.

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“I cannot tell, I fear that may be copied,” he said. “Let’s wait for it when Prabowo wins, we will announce it.”

Moreover, Rizal said that he would decrease the price of meats and sugar by 70 percent by converting the cartel system with quotas into a tariff system. From that, he added, the government under Prabowo would indirectly encourage mothers to save Rp1 to 2 million per month. The savings could then be used for shopping, and so it would support the retail economy.

By applying the strategies, economic growth could progress by 1 percent. Prabowo Subianto would also increase the salary for civil servants (PNS), build one hectare of new paddy field in Central Sulawesi, Southeast Sulawesi, and South Sulawesi, as well as construct one million residences for the people.

MUHAMMAD HENDARTYO