This Is A Scenario To Achieve 5 Percent Economic Growth In The Third Quarter Of 2021

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani hinted that economic growth in the third quarter of 2021 is quite vulnerable to pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic which is currently surging. In his view, good results can be achieved if daily cases can be controlled.

“This all depends on the COVID conditions being faced. If the scenario is moderate, namely in July it can be controlled and in August there is normal activity, then the economy can grow close to 5 percent,” he said in an online press conference, Monday, July 5.

On the other hand, an unpleasant scenario can occur if the handling of the pandemic is out of control.

"But if the restrictions are long enough because the COVID-19 is still quite high, then economic growth in the third quarter could drop by 4 percent and this is something we must be aware of," he said.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Finance revealed that the estimated economic growth in the first semester of 2021 will be in the range of 3.1 percent to 3.3 percent.

"For the first half the economic recovery has been good, but for the first quarter growth is still minus 0.7 percent and is estimated to have accelerated in the second quarter with an estimated 7 percent. So, in the first semester, the growth was 3.1 to 3.3 percent," he explained.

Furthermore, in order to support the achievement of the target in the economic sector, the Minister of Finance said that the government continues to pursue the realization of the national vaccination program. Currently, this strategic program has touched the number of vaccine distribution to more than 1 million doses per day.

In fact, currently efforts are being made to carry out vaccination activities to reach 2 million to 3 million doses per day in order to achieve the target in October and November.

"This is an extraordinarily high target and the President said that the work of all parties must be done to achieve this vaccination target, be it ministries/agencies, TNI/Polri, all offices and local governments," he said.

"This is an important condition to protect the community from COVID, but on the other hand the momentum of the economic recovery can be maintained," said Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani.

For information, the government itself has set this year's economic growth to be in the range of 4.5 percent to 5.3 percent.