COVID-19 Task Force: Controlled Pandemic Causes State's Economic Growth To Improve

PIXABAY ILLUSTRATION

JAKARTA - Government Spokesperson for Handling COVID-19 Prof Wiku Adisasmito said the currently controlled COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia has caused the country's economic growth to improve.

“The COVID-19 pandemic, which is increasingly controlled and followed by adaptive policies, can improve the national economy. Improvements in the national economy must continue to be carried out in an effort to recover from the pandemic," said Wiku as quoted by Antara, Thursday, June 2.

Based on data from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Wiku stated that Indonesia's economic condition in the first quarter of 2022 had improved due to a growth of 5.01 percent, compared to the beginning of the 2020 pandemic which was only 2.97 percent year on year.

This data, he said, has provided good news in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic transition which is increasingly under control and followed by adaptive policies, such as the imposition of Community Activity Restrictions (PPKM) leveling and vaccination in the health aspect, as an effort to improve the economy on a national scale.

In other aspects, the government continues to strive to increase foreign cooperation through the tourism sector and the creative economy (parekraf). Given that the COVID-19 pandemic in Indonesia is increasingly being handled well, the tourism sector is getting ready to welcome back international tourists.

“On June 1, the Indonesian government through the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy together with the COVID-19 Task Force and the Singapore government held a meeting to discuss tourism policies, easing travel restrictions, and optimizing tourist destinations in Batam, Bintan, and Bali so that Indonesia and Singapore and other ASEAN countries, can make Southeast Asia an attractive tourist destination," said Wiku.

According to him, apart from helping economic recovery, the controlled COVID-19 pandemic is also able to open up wider job opportunities so this momentum must be used as well as possible for acceleration in all sectors.

Thus, Wiku invites all parties to always work together, be disciplined in carrying out health protocols, and immediately carry out vaccinations so that various easing of social activities can be implemented gradually and continue to improve national economic recovery.

"Especially air transportation to be able to compete and support the activation of the national and international tourism sector," said Wiku.