President Jokowi Tells Cabinet to Have Sense of Crisis, to Work Harder

President Jokowi chairs a meeting at the State Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday (8/7). (Photo by: BPMI)

The world is experiencing a crisis, particularly health and economic crises, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo said.

For this reason, the President Jokowi said he had ordered his Cabinet Ministers to have a sense of crisis and work even harder.

“Amid these conditions, we must work harder and faster. For example, I want a ministerial regulation to be completed in a day, while it takes two weeks beforehand, and a government regulation to be completed in two days, not two months,” the President said, Tuesday (8/7).

The Head of State also encouraged his Cabinet to not only work in a business as usual mode. Instead, the President said he had ordered his staff to make a breakthrough in implementing procedures, for example, by implementing smart shortcuts.

“We must shift from ordinary ways to extraordinary ways. From complicated to fast and simple ways. From normal standard operating procedure (SOP) to smart shortcut SOP. The point is, we cannot afford to continue ‘business as usual’,” he said.

As for economy, the President pointed out that world economy is expected a slowdown.

Citing data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), global economic contraction is projected to reach minus 6 to 7.6 percent, the President said.

“If we consider and respond to this as ‘business as usual’, then there is no acceleration,” he said, adding that Indonesia saw a contraction in Q1 and economic growth stood at 2.97 percent, dropped from the previous 5 percent.

Although the figure in Q2 has not come out yet, the President reminded his Cabinet Ministers to stay cautious considering disruption in demand, supply, and production.

“Demand, supply, and production sectors are disrupted. We also have to be aware of the conditions where mobility is restricted, and tourism sector including hotels and restaurants has plummeted,” the President said. (BPMI/EN)

Translator: Muhardi
Reviewed by: M. Ersan Pamungkas