Vice President Jusuf Kalla stated that Indonesia has the potential to achieve a growth rate similar to economic powerhouses like China and India, as long as it addresses its infrastructure issues and attracts more foreign investment. Despite experiencing its fastest growth in 11 years, Indonesia still trails behind China and India in terms of economic expansion. Kalla expressed confidence in Indonesia's ability to reach such growth rates by improving infrastructure and creating a favorable environment for investors. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, elected in 2004, has focused on addressing corruption, boosting growth, and creating employment opportunities. Kalla mentioned that the government is working to overcome obstacles to growth, including corruption and labor laws that are not conducive to investors. "This is a period of transition," stated the affluent businessman from Sulawesi island in Indonesia. With the upcoming presidential election in 2009, Kalla is being considered as a potential rival to Yudhoyono rather than his partner. When questioned about his plans to run with or against Yudhoyono, Kalla responded by saying that the decision will be made in 2009 and it is not solely up to him but also a decision of the party. However, Kalla, who leads the influential Golkar party in parliament, did not dismiss the possibility of running for president. Kalla expressed optimism about the economy despite the recent decline in the rupiah currency, attributing it to concerns about the impact of high oil prices and government fuel subsidies. He mentioned that the central bank typically intervenes when the rupiah falls between 9,300 and 9,500 per dollar. Kalla, who is confident in the economy's ability to reach a government growth target of 6.8 percent next year, stated that there are no plans to decrease fuel subsidies in Indonesia, as they are politically sensitive and have led to riots in the past. Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati mentioned that energy subsidies could reach 88.2 trillion rupiah this year, well above the allocated amount in the 2007 budget. Kalla also mentioned that nuclear energy is not a priority for Indonesia due to budget constraints, safety concerns, and a preference for other energy sources like geothermal and hydropower. Despite Indonesia's goal of building a nuclear plant by 2016, environmentalists are concerned about the risk of a nuclear accident given the country's frequent earthquakes. Kalla stated that Indonesia, with approximately 10 percent of the world's tropical rain forests, is justified in urging wealthier nations to contribute financially to forest preservation in order to combat global warming. Indonesia is supporting a plan to allow emission reductions from forests to be traded as carbon credits, with experts predicting potential earnings of over $13 billion if the plan is endorsed at the upcoming UN climate change meeting in Bali. Kalla emphasized the need for global responsibility, citing the exploitation of Indonesian timber by richer nations as an example.