Number of Indonesian poor reaches 37.1 million

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono admitted that the poverty rate in Indonesia was still high, namely 37.1 million people and asked all parties to read the pertinent figures rightly.

"I acknowledge that the poverty rate is still high. Therefore, the government has launched a health improvement and insurance program for the poor (Askeskin)," the president said at a function to mark the 43th National Health Day here on Wednesday.

The president said there were certain quarters who had wrongly put the poverty rate at 76.4 million or twice the government`s figure which was in fact equal to the number of people covered by the Askeskin scheme.