The government will spur the purchase of domestic products amid the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). This is included in the policy formulated by the Committee for Handling COVID-19 and National Economic Recovery.
Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto as Chairman of the Committee after a closed meeting on Monday (27/7), said that one of the products the government will buy through the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) is rubber from smallholder plantations, which will be mixed for use as asphalt.
The government had also previously announced plans to purchase rubber for asphalt mixtures before the pandemic. This aims to raise the price of rubber, which is getting lower.
Apart from the Ministry of PUPR, spending on domestic products will also be spurred by the Ministry of Industry. Airlangga said the Ministry of Industry would buy raw materials for Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The committee also encourages multiyear programs. So that later, the program can continue until 2021 in order to create post-pandemic growth, said Airlangga.
Besides, several steps were also encouraged for economic recovery. Among other things, increasing exports, the additional transformation of expansion of taxation and excise, and encouraging the economy at the micro-level and other sectors. ***
Kontan.co.id, 27/07/2020