Jokowi Withdraws PPKM, Economist: Positive Potential To The Indonesian Economy In 2023

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

JAKARTA - Center of Reform on Economics (Core Indonesia) economist Yusuf Rendy conveyed that the policy of stopping the implementation of restrictions on community activities (PPKM) has the potential to have a positive impact on national economic growth in the first quarter of 2023 until 2023.

"Generally economic growth in the quarter when the government has started to loosen people's mobility activities, compared to economic growth in the quarter when the government tightened it better," said Rendy, quoted from Antara, Monday, January 2.

He conveyed that the termination of the policy would have a significant impact on the tourism sector in the country, which was also followed by its derivative sectors, such as transportation, restaurants, food and beverages, to lodging.

"I believe the tourism sector, with the PPKM withdrawal policy, has the potential to grow even better than before," said Rendy.

However, he warned of the risk of an increase in COVID-19 cases after the termination of the policy.

According to him, the government should have prepared anticipatory and mitigation measures, as well as health infrastructure to prevent an increase in COVID-19 cases.

The experience of dealing with two waves of the COVID-19 variant, including Delta and Omicron, should also encourage the government to be more prepared when, for example, a new variant of COVID-19 appears," said Rendy.

On this occasion, he conveyed that the dismissal of PPKM needed to be accompanied by providing incentives for certain sectors and efforts to reduce inflation levels to encourage national economic growth.

As is known, the government has officially revoked the PPKM policy related to the COVID-19 pandemic after President Joko Widodo announced it through a press conference at the State Palace, Jakarta, on Friday, December 30, 2022.