E46: Economic Challenges with Faisal Basri

The Central Government has prevented provincial leaders, such as Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan, from implementing a lockdown, despite the fact that Jakarta is the country’s epicentre for the Covid-19 virus. The president says that a lockdown would cripple the country’s economy and lead to social unrest. Does the government have the capacity to successfully implement a lockdown as some have hoped for? 

Indonesia's Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), was
already facing a US$2.3 billion deficit prior to the pandemic. How will
Indonesia pay for healthcare going forward with patients flooding into hospitals
as a result of the coronavirus and will they be covered?

The 2020 State Budget had many experts optimistic about the country’s economic performance with a stable rupiah, growth at 5.3%, oil at US$70 a barrel, just to name a few. Those stats obviously no longer apply. What kind of economic growth might we see going forward?

President Widodo had just begun launching his phase II mega projects over the next five years. Topping the list is a plan to move the nation’s capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan at a cost of US$32.7 billion. There’s also a high-speed rail project, power plants and health programs among many others. How will the pandemic impact Widodo’s mega projects?

We cover these topics and more with Faisal Basri, senior economist from the Institute for Development of Economics and Finance (INDEF), specializing in political economics.

Episode Description:
Podcast hosts: Shawn & Tanita

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