REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- The national development planning programs, so far, implemented by the government have been running better than their earlier counterparts, although challenges are still lying ahead, according to the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas).

"Our programs are better though we still have to improve them. The challenges ahead are still huge. We forecast an over five percent growth in the first semester," Bappenas Head Sofyan Djalil stated on the sidelines of a post-fasting festive gathering here on Tuesday.

Bureaucratic reforms also need to be continued to offer facilities and ease of licensing for various business circles.

"We should carry out all this, so that our economic activities will become more flexible," Djalil emphasized.

In order to boost economic growth in the country, the government had issued 12 economic policy packages since September 2015 until April 2016.

The economic policy packages are viewed to have positive impacts in moving the wheels of the country's economy, yet the government still considers the need to issue other packages in other sectors.

"More deregulation packages still need to be rolled out, but for the time being, we will evaluate the existing 12 packages. The evaluation team will examine shortcomings in the packages. The government will thereafter issue several other deregulation packages, including in the legal field," Djalil, who is also the minister for national development planning, affirmed.

Earlier, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry had called on the government to evaluate the 12 economic policy packages, so that they will have a clear framework, objectives, and directions for their implementation.

The packages must be aimed at creating more jobs, boosting economic growth, and improving the welfare of the people.

Currently, the government has set up four working groups to accelerate the implementation of policy packages.

The first working group is tasked with campaigning and disseminating information on the packages, the second will accelerate their implementation, the third will evaluate their implementation and impacts, while the fourth one will handle and settle cases encountered during their implementation.

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