(Sept 7): What’s the safe level of public debt for Indonesia?

That’s the debate raging in Indonesia as politicians ratchet up the tension ahead of campaigning for next year’s presidential election.

The currency’s selloff to levels not seen since the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis is only intensifying the political wrangling as President Joko Widodo’s opponents blame his debt-binge for the rout. The government says its debt level of 29% of gross domestic product is safe and lower than that of peers such as Malaysia and Thailand, but the message is making little difference to voters worried about joblessness and rising borrowing.

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