SCMP Economic Column Criticized Jokowi's GDP Rating

News Portals: 23:26 WIB President Joko Widodo. [Photo / SINDOnews]

JAKARTA - In a visit to Hong Kong in early May, President Joko Widodo said that Indonesia's economic growth is the third in the world, after India and China.

President Jokowi's statement received sharp criticism from economic columnist in South China Morning Post, Jake Van Der Kemp. He then wrote in the opinion of the largest English-speaking media in Hong Kong, entitled "Sorry President Widodo, GDP rankings are economists' equivalent of fake news".

In the article Tuesday (2/5/2017), Jake then questioned the claim of third rank in the world, with which world in question. According to him, in Asia there are 13 countries with a higher economic growth rate than Indonesia which is 5.02%.

They are India at 7.5%, Laos 7.4%, Myanmar 7.3%, Cambodia 7.2%, Bangladesh 7.1%, Philippines 6.9%, China 6.7%, Vietnam 6.2% , Pakistan 5.7%, Mongolia 5.5%, Palau Islands 5.5%, Timor Leste 5.5%, and Papua New Guinea 5.4%.Jake was trying to cone by drawing a fellow line with a population of more than 200 million. As a result, Indonesia is still behind India, China and Pakistan. Firmly, Jake then wrote "Do not let the facts get in the way of a good story. We will write about you. "

President Jokowi's statement was accused of 'making up a story about Indonesia's great economic growth'. And at the end of his opinion, Jake wrote, "Thanks for the show, Joko, but there's a lot more to do with your time than making a ridiculous GDP".