Jokowi Again Talks About The Absorption Of The Stimulus For Handling COVID-19 Which Is Only 19 Percent

President Joko Widodo while chairing a closed meeting (Photo: Secretariat of the Indonesian Cabinet)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo again talked about the suboptimal absorption of the budget for handling COVID-19. He got this assessment after receiving a report regarding the absorption of the stimulus.

"The absorption of the stimulus for handling COVID is still not optimal and the speed is still lacking. The latest data I received on July 22, of the total stimulus for handling COVID, amounting to Rp.695 trillion, which has only been realized, means only 19 percent. Again, only 19 percent," he said. Jokowi opened the limited meeting of 'Briefing to the Committee for Handling Economic Recovery and Handling COVID-19' which was conducted online and broadcast on the YouTube account of the Presidential Secretariat, 27 July.

Jokowi then described the budget absorption. In the field of social protection, the total budget that has been absorbed, he said, has reached 38 percent.

"In MSMEs, this 25 percent includes the placement of funds in the Himbara (Association of State Banks) of Rp. 30 trillion," he said.

Meanwhile in the business sector, the budget that has been realized has reached 13 percent. Meanwhile, for the health sector, only 7 percent was realized and in the sectoral support sector as well as regional government, only 6.5 percent was realized.

"This is what the committee must immediately address by making breakthroughs with steps to work more quickly. So that the problem that I conveyed is not optimal budget absorption can be resolved," he said.

He then reminded his ministers to look back at the problems that caused the slow stimulus to be absorbed.

"I remind you that the problem is in the administration, in the regulations, you will see it right away. If it is a regulation, revision of the regulation is so that there is acceleration. Do a shortcut, make improvements, do not let sectoral egos exist," he concluded.