Associated Press
September 1, 2006
Number of Indonesians living in poverty rising, BPS data shows
JAKARTA (AP): Higher food prices caused a jump in the number of Indonesians
living in poverty over the last year, government statistics released Friday
showed.
More than 39 million people live under the poverty line in the sprawling
Southeast Asian nation, compared to over 35 million in 2005, according to the
latest data released by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).
Indonesia measures its poverty line by the ability of a person to pay for
food, clothing and other essential goods. Other methods give a far higher figure
-- up to 50 percent of the country's 220 million people.
Prices of basic food stuffs like cooking oil, instant noodles and rice rose
on the back of the government's decision in October last year to slash fuel
subsidies, more than doubling the price of some oil products.
Indonesia's economy is currently growing at almost 6 percent a year,
impressive by Western standards, but not fast enough to provide work for the legions
of people who enter the job market each year.
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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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