Jokowi heads to 2018 with backing of stronger Indonesian economy

Jakarta

INDONESIA'S economy is in a stronger position as it enters 2018, bolstering President Joko Widodo as the nation gears up for elections.

Having notched up growth above 5 per cent in every quarter so far this year, the economy is forecast by the government to expand 5.4 per cent in 2018, which would be the fastest pace in five years.

The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists is for growth of 5.3 per cent.

Foreign investment is picking up, inflation is subdued, more people are in jobs and a landmark infrastructure programme is taking shape. That's a far cry from when the president took office in October 2014, faced with a…