Remarks of President of the Republic of Indonesia when Observing the First Rollout of COVID-19 Gotong Royong Vaccination Program for Employees, 18 May 2021, in Jababeka Industrial Estate, Bekasi, West Java

Assalamu’alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.

This morning, I visited PT Unilever which has started vaccination under Gotong Royong scheme along with 18 other companies. They give free vaccine to all managements, employees, and workers. The vaccination scheme is set up through cooperation between the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KADIN) and all companies in Indonesia.

It is our fervent hope that the Gotong Royong vaccination can speed up national vaccination program. However, we must understand that securing and procuring vaccine are not easy because 215 countries are competing for it. All of them want to obtain the vaccine.

Alhamdulillah, thank God, in the first phase, the country has secured 420,000 (doses) of vaccine for Gotong Royong vaccination scheme and I have ordered to start rolling it out. In the near future, we hope there will be more supply so it can speed up the effort to meet the target of vaccination coverage of 181.5 million people. Hopefully the Gotong Royong vaccination can speed up meeting our vaccination target.

We expect we will be able to roll out vaccine to 70 million people by August or September. Therefore, Indonesia will be able to flatten the curve within that period. We hope companies, factories, and industries can recover their production.

Vaccination is also expected to recover the economy. We are aware that Indonesia’s economic growth has contracted 0.74 percent in the first quarter of 2021, i.e. in January, February, and March. Though our joint efforts, we hope the growth in the second quarter of 2021 in April, May, and June will meet our target of seven percent since productivity in various companies and businesses will run as usual.

That concludes my remarks on this auspicious occasion. Allow me to deliver my highest appreciation to the KADIN and companies participating in Gotong Royong vaccination in today’s event and the following events.

I thank you. (RAS/MMB)