JAKARTA - Economic observer Faisal Basri suggested to the government that the main prioritized agenda should go hand in hand between economic recovery and handling COVID-19.
"The government should not only prioritize the main agenda for economic recovery, while loosening the handling of COVID-19 as reflected in the structure that looks to prioritize economic recovery," Faisal said as quoted by Antara, Friday, August 7.
Faisal said economic recovery needed to be carried out but handling COVID-19 must also continue so that the recession would not be prolonged, because we don't have enough energy to face the recession. So that in 2021 the economic growth will be smoother.
According to him, the recession is almost certain to happen, but what the government must do is how to make the recession as shallow as possible so that it is not too deep. Recession should not be avoided by taking progressive measures to eliminate COVID-19.
"We haven't entered a recession yet because of technical events based on a decrease in the level of output for a certain period of time or a negative economic growth for two consecutive quarters. So at the moment we are not in a recession because in the first quarter we were still positive at 3 percent, as well as in "We don't know the second quarter because it hasn't been announced yet," he said.
Even though it was announced we still haven't entered the current recession. If in the second quarter of this time our economic growth was minus, then in the following quarter (the third quarter) we were also minus, then we are said to be a recession.
Strong predictions in the second quarter are minus, as well as in the third quarter. So in November we will officially know the announcement whether Indonesia is really experiencing a recession or not.
Faisal further said that in order for the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic to run smoothly, the government could learn from the handling of the tsunami disaster in Aceh first.
"Pak Kuntoro as the 'war commander' with Fuad Ahmani who holds the budget are all very skilled and can work fulltime 24 hours. They are also able to predict / anticipate things that might happen, have leadership skills, and are able to mobilize all existing capabilities, "he explained.
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