Lowest Poverty Level Since 1996
Thursday, 02 July, 2009 | 13:13 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta: The Central Statistics Bureau (BPS) recorded that the number of poor people in March 2009 reduced to 32.53 million people (14.15 percent). This level is the lowest level since 1996 when 34.01 million people were categorized as being poor.

BPS Social Statistics deputy, Arizal Ahnaf, said that between March 2008 and March 2009, the number of poor people in rural areas reduced by 1.5 million while in urban areas the number reduced by 0.86 million.

According to Afrizal, the lower poverty level is influenced by general inflation that has kept relatively keeps stable at a level of 7.92 percent.

The national average price of rice in the last year has also dropped by 7.8 percent.

The real wage for daily workers also influences the poverty level.

“It increased by 10.61 percent on average between March 2008 and March 2009,” he told reporters, on Wednesday (1/7).

EKO NOPIANSYAH