Jokowi Calls Handling COVID-19 Easy To Comment But Difficult In Practice: Must Be Smart On Gas And Brakes

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. (Photo: Doc. Setkab)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said that many countries find it difficult to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic. This is because health recovery efforts must also go hand in hand with the economy, because handling is also not easy and must be just right.

"The two things must go hand in hand, regulating gas and brake management, this also has to fit. Something that is not easy in practice. Commenting (maybe) is easy, but practicing it is difficult," he said, opening Kompas100 CEO Forum 2021 virtually. , Thursday, January 21.

According to Jokowi, this is a very difficult time not only for Indonesia but also for all countries in the world that are struggling to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic.

To help people survive this difficult time, said Jokowi, the government in the short term strategy of issuing assistance for handling the pandemic. This was done to maintain people's purchasing power. This is because the Indonesian economy is supported by consumption.

"Then, related to assistance for micro, small and medium enterprises, tax incentives, emergency capital assistance continues to be issued by the government," he said.

Not only that, said Jokowi, the government also helps those who have lost their jobs because of layoffs (PHK). This includes those who have not worked with the Pre-Employment Card program.

"For what? In order to have purchasing power, so that there is consumption, so that there is demand. Even though in fact the biggest room to strengthen raising, increasing demand is in the middle class, which until now has not moved for demand to increase," he explained.

Jokowi said, in the short-term strategy what was important was the implementation of the COVID-19 health protocol. Local government to employers must ask the community and employees to implement health protocols.

"This is very important, in the short term, that is, how to tell the public that discipline on health protocols is the key. This must all speak," he said.