Head Of Bappenas Suharso Monoarfa: Indonesia Can Take An Example From China Whose Economic Improves So Fast

Minister of National Development Planning (PPN) / Head of Bappenas Suharso Monoarfa. (Photo: Doc. Setkab)

JAKARTA - Minister of National Development Planning (PPN)/Head of Bappenas Suharso Monoarfa estimates that Indonesia's economic growth in the first quarter of this year will contract by around 0.6 percent to 0.9 percent (yoy).

"In the first quarter, it is estimated that economic growth will still contract around 0.6 percent to 0.9 percent (yoy)", said Minister of National Development Planning/Head of Bappenas Suharso Monoarfa at the 2021 National Development Planning Conference in Jakarta, Tuesday.

On the other hand, the Head of Bappenas Suharso stated that efforts to recover from the impact of the pandemic will be accelerated in the second quarter so that as the COVID-19 case is under control, the national economy is projected to recover and grow positively in the second quarter of 2021.

He said China's economic development in the past year could be used as an example in efforts to improve the economy because China was able to recover quickly after the pandemic.

China's economic recovery has occurred since the second quarter of 2020 after experiencing a very deep contraction in the first quarter and then managed to rebound in the first quarter of 2021 with growth reaching 18.3 percent.

"The key to a proper and very fast economic recovery is due to its success in controlling the spread of COVID-19", said Head of Bappenas Suharso Monoarfa.

Meanwhile, he explained that the development of the COVID-19 case in Indonesia had shown a downward trend, but in some areas, there was still an increasing trend, such as in the Provinces of Bengkulu, Jambi, Bangka Belitung, Riau Islands, and Riau.

Therefore, he asked the public to continue to increase awareness and implement strict health protocols so that the new COVID-19 cluster can be avoided as the vaccination program is still being carried out in order to achieve herd immunity.

"Thus, if we can overcome and control, hopefully, public confidence in health conditions will increase and encourage economic recovery", said Head of Bappenas Suharso Monoarfa.