Underestimated COVID-19 Before and Allocated IDR 8.5 Trillion Until It Is Swelling to IDR 695 Trillion, Sri Mulyani Gives An Explanation

Ilustrasi (Foto: Dok. Antara)

JAKARTA - Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani said that at the beginning of the spread of the coronavirus, the government had allocated a response fund of IDR 8.5 trillion. This amount was disbursed in February 2020 for the tourism sector considering the drop in the number of foreign tourists coming to Indonesia.

"This is the first stimulus issued by the government that comes from refocusing the State Budget (APBN) and Regional Budget (APBD) to deal with COVID-19," she said online on Thursday, October 21.

According to the Minister of Finance, the developing situation requires the government to expand incentives and protection policies for the business world and the community.

"The second stimulus in March 2020 was IDR 22.5 trillion, which was intended as tax incentives, ease of imports, and a stimulus for the health sector," she said.

Then, in its development, the state increased the disbursement of resources by preparing a budget of IDR 405.9 trillion as a cushion to strengthen the health sector and support the national economy.

Finally, in mid-2020, the government released the National Economic Recovery (PEN) scheme of IDR 695.2 trillion, which is the main instrument in dealing with the impact of the pandemic that is spreading in the country. Meanwhile, the health budget for the 2020 PEN program is IDR 87.55 trillion. Meanwhile, the overall realization of PEN last year reached a value of IDR 575.85 trillion.