National Economic and Health Recovery in the Disruptive Pandemic: A Proposal for Indonesia

Abstract

The government’s rhetoric of Indonesian resurgence is one of economic and health recovery from the current disruptive pandemic. However, this rhetoric has not been matched in reality, as the recovery focus and fulfillment have been heavily slanted towards the economic sphere. There is a need for a policy which could sustainably alleviate both economic and health sufferings among the Indonesian population. We propose for this policy to be Job Guarantee (JG), in which the government provides a job for Indonesians who are able and willing to work, yet unable to find a job in the labor market. This would help solve the major problem of unemployment, especially involuntary ones, which has been exacerbated by the twin supply and demand shock caused by the pandemic. Based on implementation in other countries, a JG policy need not cost very much, especially when compared to its benefits. This article highlights not only JG’s economic benefits, but offers a novel understanding into JG’s health benefits, especially mentally. An explicit name of National Economic and Health Recovery policy is thus recommended, to reflect better the understanding presented in this article.