TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former Jakarta deputy governor Sandiaga Uno urged the city administration to subsidize the daily workers who have been hit the hardest by the coronavirus (COVID-19) emergency that saw public activities greatly reduced.

”We must also think about how to subsidize the daily workers who are unable [to make a living],” said Sandiaga in his Instagram post on Sunday, March 22. ”Subsidise those who do not get monthly salaries.”

Such a policy from the government, he wrote, would provide ample assistance for the daily workers amidst an emergency situation.

Separately, the University of Indonesia’s economist, Fithra Faisal, had already predicted that consumption growth and people’s buying power would be severely affected by the coronavirus emergency status and that a government stimulus or incentive would help maintain the public’s buying power amid the crisis.

He acknowledged the launch of the pre-work government subsidy as a great opening step. However, he also called for further incentives that can be given to companies, which would help preserve their workers and avoid any scenario that sees the workers laid-off.

Reported earlier, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said on Wednesday that the government is preparing to launch its third coronavirus economic stimulus plan, one of which will be designed as a ‘social safety net’ that will cover the concerns voiced by Sandiaga Uno.

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