People Are More Anxious About Economic Conditions Than Pagebluk COVID-19

Emergency Illustration (ErikaWittlieb / Pixabay)

JAKARTA - LSI Denny JA released the results of their research on the condition of Indonesian society during the pre-COVID-19 period. As a result, the anxiety of the Indonesian people has now shifted from the problem of post-war to the economic sector.

This finding is the result of research conducted by LSI Denny JA with a review of secondary data from a number of institutions, such as Gallup Pol, Worldometer, and LSI experimental research data from Denny JA and Eriyanto.

According to LSI researcher Denny JA, Rully Akbar, people are more worried about economic conditions than the corona virus. There are five reasons for this anxiety to shift.

First, said Rully, this shift occurred because the public saw the news that many countries were able to control the virus and surpassed the peak of the spread of the virus. Among them, New Zealand, Germany, Hong Kong and South Korea. Although this virus vaccine has not been found, the news of the success of a number of countries has had an impact on reducing public anxiety.

"The concrete example of a successful country is enough to reduce anxiety over the virus. Moreover, it has also been reported that economic activity in the country is gradually starting to revive," said Ruli in an online press conference broadcast on YouTube, Friday, June 12.

Second, he said, the public has been able to maintain health protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The implementation of the health protocol is considered as one of the steps to prevent the spread of the virus.

Third, people are more concerned with economic conditions because their savings are running low. This is due to the imposition of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB), the closure of various business worlds, and the diminishing economic capacity of the Tagga houses.

So, he said, the anxiety of being exposed to COVID-19 has decreased, people are now more worried about their financial and economic conditions.

"This is felt in the lower middle class. Especially in the informal sector, the image of economic difficulties, even hunger is more threatening and concrete," he said.

In addition, the public is starting to see that the number of residents experiencing economic difficulties is more than the number of residents exposed to COVID-19. This also makes people anxious.

Finally, he continued, the graph of COVID-19 transmission in Indonesia which is increasingly sloping and decreasing is considered to be one of the causes of public anxiety about the virus also decreasing.

"This is in contrast to the graph of economic hardship as measured by layoffs, which take Jamsostek severance pay continues to increase from month to month," said Rully.

"This graphic is what also makes anxiety over exposure to the corona virus weaken, while anxiety over the economic virus is increasing," he added.

This anxiety must be anticipated

Rully assessed that the government's concern for the declining economy should be a concern for the government. Moreover, the threat of hunger and unemployment is something that is felt directly by the community, and is a real enemy. While the corona virus, he said, is likened to fighting an invisible enemy.

"Those who are hungry, who are prevented from working, nor receive adequate social assistance can turn into angry people. Hungry man becomes angry man," said Rully.

According to him, people who are hungry and angry can easily ignite social unrest and turn a health crisis into an economic, social and political crisis. "So that public economic difficulties need to be anticipated so as not to explode into social unrest," he said.

However, Rully asked the government not to be careless. Do not let the desire to revive the economy, instead it will have a dangerous impact on public health during the early days of COVID-19.

"The second wave of viruses still has to be watched out for. Social restrictions need to be implemented, but on a smaller scale. The government must also firmly open and close clusters that are prone to spreading and educate public health protocols," he concluded.