Indonesia promotes support for people affected by COVID-19

Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesian President Joko Widodo on July 15 directly presented cash assistance to small and micro-sized enterprises, business households, freelance workers, and street vendors affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to help them overcome the difficult time.

According to Widodo, about 12 million businesses and individuals whose income have been cut by 50 percent due to the impacts of the disease, were supported under the programme with each of them receiving 2.4 million rupiah (175 USD).

Before the pandemic broke out, the income of freelance labourers and small traders could reach 500,00-800,000 rupiah a day. However, their income is now reduced to only 200,000 rupiah.

Widodo said he hoped the support can be used effectively, helping small and micro-sized enterprises increase business efficiency when the disease is under control.

Supporting small and micro-sized businesses, and freelance workers has actually become one of the President's priorities amid the pandemic.

Earlier, at the Cabinet meeting in June 2020, Widodo asked relevant ministries to immediately deploy support packages for small and micro-sized businesses so that they would not be discouraged and try their best to recover their business and production.

In its national economic recovery programme, the Indonesian government prepared a fund of 6,600 billion rupiah to prevent the pandemic and respond to its impacts on the national economy./.