Pandemic forced to strive in synergy, says President Jokowi

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: The difficult conditions created by the COVID-19 pandemic have offered valuable experience since they have forced all levels of government to strive in synergy toward a common goal, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) has said.

“All parties are working (together). That is what I have not seen prior. Thus, this is an (precious) experience. It turns out that if we want all stakeholders to work, we really have to be pressured first,” he remarked here on Wednesday.

During the “National Coordination Meeting for the Transition of COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (PC-PEN),” he lauded all ministries and agencies (K/L) who have worked hard over the past three years of the pandemic.

However, he emphasized that all those difficulties have provided a great experience to all levels of government.

The pandemic has encouraged all governors, district heads, mayors, military, police, as well as governmental institutions related to public order to collaborate in mobilizing the community to get vaccinated, he said.

So far, Indonesia has carried out more than 448 million vaccinations, he noted.

It has not been an easy task given Indonesia’s vast area and challenging geographical landscape, he said.

He said that the military and police have even gone beyond their main duties of protecting the sovereignty of the country and carrying out law enforcement to visit villages throughout Indonesia to encourage people to get COVID-19 vaccinations.

“What does that mean? It (overcoming the pandemic) is a work that requires excellent synergy and we can do it all,” the President added.

Besides the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been challenges to maintaining national economic stability, he observed.

“Imagine, (in 2020) the state revenues fell by 16 percent, whereas the spending surged by 12 percent,” he added.

The national coordination meeting on Thursday was also attended by Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, and Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD.

Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita, State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir, and Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono were also present at the meeting.