Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will convene a meeting today
on the global economic crisis issue, drawing together economic ministers,
business players, bankers and economists, the website of The Jakarta Post
reported.
Sri Mulyani Indrawati, acting Coordinating Minister for the Economy, said
that the meeting was aimed at preparing Indonesia for the prolonged crisis.
"The crisis in the United States will continue not for one or two weeks, or
even one or two months -- it could go on for several quarters, and consequently
the impact will be felt here much longer," she said.
Therefore, she said, the government needs to monitor the condition of the
financial sector including banks, the country's account balance, exports,
imports and other relevant sectors.
According to Mulyani and State Minister for State Enterprises Sofyan Djalil,
the meeting will be attended by members of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry,
heads of local and foreign banks, academics and economic analysts, and heads of
state companies, such as oil producer Pertamina, mining company Antam and
Indonesia's biggest bank by assets, Bank Mandiri.
