Indonesia not to change 2009 economic growth target of 4-4.5% despite bombs atta

JAKARTA, July 22 -- Indonesia will not change its economic growth

target of 4-4.5 percent despite bomb blasts on Friday, the Finance Minister Sri

Mulyani Indrawati told reporters in a press conference here on Wednesday.

"We don't see any reasons why we have to change our economic target. The

bomb terror doesn't have a significant impact on our economy," said the minister

in the media center established following the bombings.

She also said that the government remained optimistic that the country

could achieve economic growth target of 4.5 percent in the second semester of

2009.

"Purchasing power and other economic indicators remained healthy. We also

expect investment in the second semester could reach seven percent which would

contribute much to the economic growth," she said.

The minister also said that in 2010, the government predicted that

Indonesian economy would grow five to six percent.

She said that despite this current deep sorrow, the government and the

business players had agreed that the attack should not disrupt economic

activities and efforts to increase the international's confidence.

Sri Mulyani urged the police to immediately arrest people who are

responsible for the attack so that stability could be maintained.

"Indonesia has a strong economic prospect and is conducive for foreign

investment," she said.

Sri Mulyani reiterated her statement before that the government provided

assurance to people and businessmen, especially in increasing security for vital

objects.

"Following the incident, we established a security team for vital objects,"

she said.

She also said that her ministry and parliament supported efforts to recover

economy and would allocate budget for sector that needs fund to revive its

industry.

"The parliament provided room for the government to respond so that

momentum of economic recovery would not be disrupted," she said.

Two bomb blasts wrecked JW Marriott and Ritz Carlton hotels in Mega

Kuningan business district in South Jakarta on last Friday, taking nine lives

and injuring less than 60 others.