Economic Challenges - with Economist Faisal Basri

<p>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? </p><p>Indonesia&apos;s Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), was<br/>already facing a US$2.3 billion deficit prior to the pandemic. How will<br/>Indonesia pay for healthcare going forward with patients flooding into hospitals<br/>as a result of the coronavirus and will they be covered?</p><p>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?</p><p>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?</p><p>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.<br/><br/>| This episode is written and produced by Shawn Corrigan and Tanita, research done by veronica, sound engineering by Rizki and visual design by Daniel | All music licensed | Read the text version of this episode: <a href='http://www.indonesiaindepth.com/'>www.indonesiaindepth.com</a> or through Shawn’s LinkedIn page: <a href='http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/'>http://www.linkedin.com/in/shawn-corrigan/</a> | Send us your feedback! Email: <a href='mailto:info@indonesiaindepth.com'>info@indones