TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) reported that January's inflation rate has hit the record high over the last three years at 0.97 percent. Coordinating Economic Minister Darmin Nasution revealed that several sectors had contributed to the increasing inflation.
"There are several sectors contributed to the inflation rate, such as communication and transportation," Darmin said at his office in Jakarta on Wednesday, February 1, 2017.
The BPS in its press release today revealed that expense components serving as major contributors to January's inflation rate included transportation, communication and financial service. Vehicle administration fee hikes contributed 0.23 percent to the inflation rate. In addition, cellphone credit price hikes contributed 0.14 percent and fuel price hikes contributed 0.08 percent to the inflation rate.
Darmin explained that types of fuel experiencing hikes are Pertalite and Pertamax, which are not included in administered prices.
"Commodities included in administered prices are [subsidized fuels] Premium and Solar," he added.
Darmin deplored that there was a confusion related to the matter.
"There was a concern that even without fuel price hike, [the inflation rate] increases. The truth is that price hikes occurred in non-regulated fuels," Darmin said.
GHOIDA RAHMAH