COVID-19 policies require precise calculations, says Indonesian President

Jakarta, The Gulf Observer: Indonesian President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) emphasized that relaxing and tightening policies in handling the COVID-19 pandemic and maintaining national economic stability required precise calculations.

Jokowi made the statement while inaugurating the National Coordination Meeting for the Transition of COVID-19 Handling and National Economic Recovery (PC-PEN) at the Finance Ministry’s AA Maramis Building, here, on Thursday.

“Carrying out the relaxing and tightening policies is not easy. If the calculation is wrong, even just a bit, the economy may collapse. However, if it (the situation) is too relaxed, the pandemic (cases) may increase,” the president remarked.

He stated that the relaxing and tightening of policies had been a solution for the government in maintaining a balance between the health and economy sectors.

Furthermore, the government encountered other challenges during the pandemic, such as the need to quickly make decisions and act as well as to maintain the availability of field data to be used as considerations for establishing policies.

In the midst of these difficulties, the community had also largely contributed to the handling of COVID-19 and attempts to maintain economic stability, Jokowi stated.

“We have to laud such participation. We appreciate (the public) because everyone has been providing support — the business players, people at the grassroots level, all are working (together),” he noted.

The president also lauded the ranks of all ministries and other government agencies from the center to the village levels, who had striven over the past three years in handling the pandemic and maintaining economic stability.

“Handling a pandemic and overcoming economy (problems) were very difficult challenges — very, very difficult matters that we faced at that time — and there was no guideline (in solving the difficulties); because we all do not have experience in dealing with this pandemic,” he stated.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto; Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Mahfud MD; Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati; as well as Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin were also present at the meeting.

The meeting was also attended by Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita; State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir; as well as Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Minister Basuki Hadimuljono.