Kenang Kwik Kian Gie, Pramono: His Advice, Social Safety Net Should Not Be Reduced

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung visited Sentosa Funeral Home, Gatot Subroto Army Hospital complex, Central Jakarta, to express his condolences for the departure of senior economist Kwik Kian Gie.

Personally, Pramono has known Kwik since the end of 1997 or when there was a change from PDI to PDI Perjuangan.

Kwik was once a PDIP politician, the same party as Pramono. Pramono admitted that he was still communicating with Kwik Kian Gie a few months ago.

"I am a person who respects Pak Kwik. Two months ago I was still communicating with Pak Kwik, either via WhatsApp or directly," Pramono told reporters, Wednesday, July 30.

There is one advice from Kwik that is closely in Pramono's memory after he served as Governor of DKI Jakarta. Kwik, called Pramono, paid great attention to the DKI Provincial Government's social assistance policy.

"There was some advice from him when I became governor, which included what I thought. Programs for smart Jakarta, healthy Jakarta, social safety net should not be reduced. That's Mr. Kwik's short advice," said Pramono.

For Pramono, Kwik Kian Gie is a national figure who is always consistent with what is his choice. Where, Kwik wants to realize an economic system that is beneficial to society in real terms.

"It was only in the era when Pak Kwik became Coordinating Minister for the Economy in the Gus Dur era who later became Minister of Bappenas, that was an era of crisis. So that many problems exist in this nation, what Pak Kwik wants is not much that can be realized," explained Pramono.

Kwik Kian Gie died on Monday, July 28 night at Medistra Hospital Jakarta at the age of 90 years. According to PDI-P politician Andreas Hugo Pareira, Kwik had been undergoing treatment for several weeks due to digestive disorders before breathing his last.

The body of the economist who was born in Juwana, Pati, Central Java, January 11, 1935, was then buried at the Gatot Soebroto Army Hospital.

Kwik Kian Gie's body is planned to be cremated on Thursday, July 31 at 11.00 WIB, in a closed ceremony that is only attended by the family.

Kwik is known as one of Indonesia's economic thinkers. He served as Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas in the era of President Abdurrahman Wahid and Coordinating Minister for the Economy during the administration of President Megawati Soekarnoputri.