CHRISTINE Lagarde, managing director of the International Monetary Fund, IMF, on Monday, October 8, visited the victims of recent earthquake of Lombok in Guntur Macan Village, West Lombok District of Indonesia.

Lagarde was accompanied by Luhut Binsar Panjaitan, coordinating minister for Maritime Affairs; Sri Mulyani, Finance minister; Perry Warjiyo, governor of Bank Indonesia; Zulkieflimansyah, West Nusa Tenggara Governor and Faozan Khalid, head of West Lombok District.

In her remarks, Lagarde said she had come to the Indonesian island of Lombok to show her sympathy with the people suffering from the natural disaster that had caused the loss of more than 500 lives last August.

A more powerful earthquake that triggered tsunami later hit certain parts of Central Sulawesi Province, and inflicted greater losses in lives and property.

“We came with large team of IMF to give support for the quake victims in Lombok and Central Sulawesi,” Lagarde said.

She said she came to Lombok not merely to make a visit and see the condition but also to convey donation from IMF employees for Lombok and Central Sulawesi.

“Today, I carry a cheque of Rp2 billion for Lombok and Central Sulawesi,” she said.

She said she appreciated the way the Indonesian Government in handling the quake disasters in Lombok and Central Sulawesi.

“We are amazed at the way the government has handled the situation, allowing the children to go back to school to pursue their studies,” she said.

On why the IMF annual meeting is still taking place in Indonesia despite the disaster, Lagarde explained: “Three years ago, when we decided to organise our 2018 Annual Meetings here in Indonesia, we did not know that the country would be hit by these terrible natural disasters.

“What we did know was that Indonesia would be the best place to hold our Annual Meetings. And Indonesia remains the best place!

“So, at the IMF we asked ourselves how we could help Indonesia in the face of these natural disasters?

“First, cancelling the meetings was not an option because that would be a tremendous waste of the resources that had been committed over the last three years and lose the great opportunity to showcase Indonesia to the world and to create opportunities and jobs.

“Second, an IMF loan was not an option because the Indonesian economy does not need it: it is being very well managed by President Jokowi, Governor Perry, Minister Sri Mulyani and Minister Luhut and their colleagues.”

– Oct. 9, 2018 @ 13:10 GMT |