By: Tawhid Noble )*
After PPKM level 4, the government is trying hard to restore the country’s economy. The reason is, for a month PPKM somewhat faltered. However, we are obliged to be optimistic and motivated so that the state’s financial condition will improve, and even rise again.
One of the most affected during the pandemic is the economy, because people’s purchasing power decreases and eventually the market becomes sluggish. Many hold their money tightly for fear of negative things happening in the future, because they don’t know when this bad situation will end. In fact, this actually slows down the wheels of the country’s economy.
This condition is also somewhat worrying when the emergency PPKM and PPKM level 4 are implemented, because mobility is completely restricted and the market is also monitored for opening and closing hours. So that after this program is declared complete, the government immediately steps on the gas and restores the country’s economy to improve again.
Caroline Rusli, Senior Portfolio Manager at an insurance company, said that in the second quarter, Indonesia’s economy had improved quite a bit. However, this depends on the post-PPKM level 4 treatment. In a sense, after PPKM, do not give slack and there must be improvements in the financial sector.
Caroline added that the country’s economic condition more or less depends on the global economy. The reason is because we are still somewhat dependent on the export market. America is starting to open up its economy, and we can re-establish good export relations. Meanwhile, another factor to boost the financial sector is vaccination.
Vaccination is very important because when many are healthy, they will work with more enthusiasm. We will not be afraid of getting corona after being vaccinated, even though we must comply with health protocols, and can resume activities after PPKM level 4. If mobility has begun to be relaxed and many have been vaccinated, the potential for transmission of the Covid-19 virus will decrease.
When the transmission of corona is very small, even non-existent, it will have a positive impact on the economic sector. The reason is because everything can work smoothly as usual. Imagine if there was only 1 employee who got corona, then the factory had to be closed for 14 days to be sterilized.
When there is one new patient, there will be a potential for transmission, both to family and neighbors. As a result, it will be unproductive because many are forced to work permits for 14 days and must be treated in hospitals or self-isolate. This will have a negative effect because production will be hampered and eventually the economy will stagnate.
This is indeed the government’s strategy in restoring the economy, to straighten the curve of the graph of covid patients, aka minimize corona cases. The reason is because we cannot force ourselves to improve the state’s financial condition but ignore the health sector. Healthy people are the main capital to raise the country’s economy again.
Therefore, the government prioritizes the health sector and implements PPKM. Later, after this program is finished, it will be boosted with new strategies. For example, by exporting to countries that no longer enforce lockdowns and looking for new investors to support national economic recovery projects.
In this way, we can survive even though we are still in the pandemic period and the economy after PPKM level 4 will improve slowly. The state’s financial condition can be saved without having to owe again to the IMF or other countries and the health condition of the people will also improve.
The government continues to encourage economic recovery after PPKM level 4 to improve again. Do not let this program create high inflation. In fact, the PPKM policy has succeeded in reducing corona cases and this is an important capital to raise the state’s financial condition again. The reason is because many are healthy and eager to work.
)* The author is a contributor to the Press Circle and Cikini Students