COVID-19 Also Has Positive Impacts For Indonesia, What Is It?

Illustrated. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic forces all affected countries to limit the social and economic activities of their people in order to avoid the spread of the virus. Because of this condition, governments in the world, including Indonesia, inevitably have to carry out digital transformation in their government systems.

Deputy Minister of Finance Suahasil Nazara said that not only did it have a negative impact on the health and economic sectors, the pandemic also had a good impact on Indonesia, especially in the digital transformation intersection.

"With COVID-10 we are forced, that's why in this morning's topic it is not an option but a necessity. We are rather forced, this is a necessity (using technology). But it feels compelled not in a negative context. This necessity is in a positive context," he said, in a virtual discussion, Wednesday, August 12.

Suahasil revealed, there are several government activities that have to be carried out using digital technology, namely the preparation of crucial regulations in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

For example, the preparation of a Government Regulation in Lieu of Law (Perppu) 1/2020 concerning State Financial Policy and Financial System Stability for Handling the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic and / or in the Context of Facing Threats Endanger the National Economy and / or Stability The Financial System, which has now been enacted as a Law (UU), is a policy formulated by the Ministry of Finance through digital technology.

According to him, as long as vaccines have not been found and distributed, the government still has to carry out digital transformation even though all processes are compulsion or compulsion.

"COVID-19 does not yet know when it will be finished, when the sense of security will return. That could be if there is a vaccine. But the problem is vaccines are still being made. That's why we are still waiting for when the interaction can be freer. But if a vaccine has not been found, we must do digital transformation. , "he explained.

Budget-Saving Digital Transformation

Suahasil said digital transformation was also able to save government spending, such as through implementing meetings or working virtually due to the emergence of COVID-19.

Furthermore, he said, during this pandemic the government does not need to pay for renting a place, providing food or official travel if the meetings are held virtually.

"In the past, we still had a meeting package, had to rent a place, provide snacks and lunch. These can now be saved," he explained.

However, said Suahasil, the government must also provide support to employees so that they can continue to actively work virtually. One of them is shopping for virtually working equipment.

Suahasil emphasized that all efficiency and cost reductions made due to the application of this digital transformation must be able to encourage employee effectiveness at work.

"It should be able to boost the effectiveness of our work, boost our output, and not become something we sacrifice when we do this," he said.