Indonesia
Postgraduate Director Weighs in on 2021 Economic Recovery Outlook
M. Mas’ud Said, Director of Unisma’s Postgraduate Program, shared his outlook on economic recovery for 2021, speaking as a guest on TV9 Nusantara’s Weekend Special Interview segment, themed “Economic Recovery 2021.”
Alongside Bank Indonesia’s East Java Regional Head, Difi Ahmad Johansyah, Mas’ud Said discussed seven key pillars of national economic recovery: fiscal stimulus to strengthen the economy, expanded credit access for businesses and industry, particularly agriculture, interest rate subsidies for small and medium enterprises, accelerated spending under national and regional budgets (APBN and APBD) across provinces, regencies, and cities to revitalize economic activity, and strengthened efforts to reduce COVID-19 risk.
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The talk show, titled “2021 Resolution: Synergy in Building Optimism for East Java’s Economic Recovery,” unfolded as a lively discussion, featuring projections estimating Indonesia’s economic growth at roughly 5 to 7 percent in 2021. The conversation also noted that countries across the Americas and Europe have faced similar downturns across their financial, industrial, and trade sectors.
Echoing Mas’ud Said’s assessment, Difi Achmad Johansyah noted that Indonesia’s economy still holds real potential for recovery, though much depends on how far the effects of the second phase of large-scale social restrictions (PSBB) ultimately extend.
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East Java’s economic growth in the third and fourth quarters of 2020 remained in negative territory, though signs of meaningful improvement have emerged, offering genuine reason for optimism. That optimism is reinforced by the East Java Governor’s ongoing collaboration with banking institutions, Bank Indonesia, and the Financial Services Authority (OJK), all working actively to encourage regional leaders and small industry hubs to shift toward online commerce and take advantage of low-interest business loans (KUR) and affordable financing. (MMS/AL/PP)
