Vice President Jusuf Kalla stated that Indonesia has the potential to achieve a growth rate similar to that of economic powerhouses China and India, as long as it addresses its infrastructure issues and attracts more foreign investment. Despite experiencing its fastest growth in 11 years at 6.3 percent, Indonesia still falls behind China's projected 11.5 percent growth and India's expected 9 percent growth. Kalla expressed confidence in Indonesia's ability to reach such growth rates by improving infrastructure and creating investor-friendly regulations. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, elected in 2004, has aimed to combat corruption, stimulate growth, and generate employment opportunities. Kalla also mentioned the government's efforts to address obstacles to growth, including corruption and labor laws that discourage investors. "This is a period of change," stated the affluent businessman from Indonesia's Sulawesi island. As the presidential election approaches in 2009, Kalla is being viewed as a possible adversary to Yudhoyono rather than his partner. When questioned about his potential candidacy alongside or in opposition to Yudhoyono, Kalla responded that the decision will be made in 2009 and will not be solely his own, but rather the decision of the party. Despite this, Kalla, who leads the influential Golkar party in parliament, did not dismiss the possibility of running for president. Kalla expressed optimism about the economy and dismissed concerns about the weakening rupiah currency, attributing it to high oil prices and government fuel subsidies. He mentioned that the central bank would intervene between exchange rates of 9,300 and 9,500. The global community is responsible for forests. Kalla, who is confident in the economy's ability to reach a 6.8 percent growth target next year, stated that there are no plans to reduce fuel subsidies, which are politically sensitive in Indonesia. Past subsidy cuts have caused riots, and with elections coming in 2009, it is unlikely the government will make cuts. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati stated that energy subsidies could reach 88.2 trillion rupiah this year, exceeding the 55.6 trillion rupiah budgeted in 2007. Kalla mentioned that nuclear energy is not a priority due to budget constraints, safety concerns, and Indonesia's focus on alternative sources like geothermal and hydropower. Indonesia aims to construct its first nuclear plant by 2016, but this has sparked criticism from environmentalists worried about potential disasters in light of the country's frequent earthquakes. Kalla believes that Indonesia, with its significant portion of the world's tropical rain forests, is justified in asking wealthier nations to contribute financially to the preservation of forests in order to combat global warming. Indonesia is supporting a plan to allow emission reductions from forests to be traded as carbon credits, which could potentially earn the country over $13 billion if approved at the upcoming UN climate change meeting in Bali. Kalla emphasized the importance of global responsibility in preventing the exploitation of Indonesian timber by richer nations.