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Prolonged pandemic could derail Indonesia’s recovery, ADB, economists warn
"This is a health crisis. Unless you can address this effectively, you can’t have a full recovery,” ADB’s director for macroeconomics research Abdul Abiad said.
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Residents shop at Tanah Abang Skybridge in Central Jakarta on Sept. 13. In a recently published report, titled Asian Development Outlook 2020 Update, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) stated that continued disruption from the coronavirus “will have severe implications for growth” for Indonesia, with domestic demand and export prospects dampened as a consequence. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
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prolonged pandemic could potentially harm Indonesia’s economic recovery as the continued rise in COVID-19 cases in the country adds uncertainty, resulting in a weak economic indicator outlook, economists have said.
In a recently published report, titled Asian Development Outlook 2020 Update, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) stated that continued disruption from the coronavirus “will have severe implications for growth” for Indonesia, with domestic demand and export prospects dampened as a consequence.
“The main risk for the outlook of Indonesia, and also the [Asian] region, stems from the possibility of a prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, which could potentially derail the recovery process,” ADB’s country economist for Indonesia Emma Allen said during a webinar held by the development bank on Tuesday.
As of Wednesday, Indonesia had recorded a total of 228,993 confirmed COVID-19 cases across the country. Cases reached beyond 100,000 on July 27, before surpassing 200,000 on Sept. 8.
Read also: Slow global economic recovery haunts Indonesian exports
In Indonesia's capital city, Jakarta, 1,294 new cases were recorded on Wednesday alone. Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan announced on Sept. 9 a reimposition of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) replacing the “transitional PSBB” it had put in place, over fear that the city would run out of isolation beds by Sept. 17 if no additional restriction measures were put in place.
“Basically, there isn’t a trade-off. This is a health crisis. Unless you can address this effectively, you can’t have a full recovery,” ADB’s director for macroeconomics research Abdul Abiad stated during the webinar, responding to a question on whether the country should prioritize its health or its economy.
