Erick Thohir: Despite The Minus, Indonesia's Economy Is Better Than The G20

JAKARTA - Chairperson of the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery (KPCPEN), Erick Thohir, stated that all countries do not have a formula for handling COVID-19 using an economic recovery approach.

Therefore, Erick emphasized that the government's choice not to implement a regional quarantine (lockdown), but the PSBB, was not for the sake of protecting economic interests.

"All countries do not have a formula for dealing with COVID-19 with economic recovery. Because there has never been something like this where health has had a huge impact on monetary efforts," said Erick in a webinar discussion, Tuesday, September 15.

Moreover, said Erick, Indonesia's economic growth conditions in the second quarter of minus 5.3 percent were still better than a number of other G20 countries.

Indonesia is indeed lower than China's economic growth which grew by 3.2 percent. "China happens to have been hit first, that's why it has more advanced protection than other countries," said Erick.

However, the economic growth of other countries is no better than Indonesia. For example, India's economic growth is minus 23 percent, England minus 21.7 percent, France minus 18 percent, and the United States minus 9.1 percent.

"When compared to other G20 countries, we are in a very good position. Compared to Southeast Asian countries, it is the same, compared to Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and others," said Erick.

Seeing the comparison of economic conditions between countries, Erick said that the current focus of KPCPEN is handling health. This, he said, had been agreed upon by all ministries, various community leaders and religious leaders.

"In 2020 we must focus on health or the COVID-19 protocol, such as wearing masks, washing hands, of course maintaining distance. Testing, tracing and treatment are a must," he explained.