The President of Indonesia Joko Widodo has mentioned his cabinet is ready to reshuffle the ministers or even disband the government agencies that he feels did not do enough for fighting the coronavirus or COVID-19 outbreak, as per his office.
Widodo made the comments in a cabinet meeting on June 18, the clip of which got released b this office on Sunday. "I see that many of us are working as though things are normal. That's what's irritating me. Don't you have feelings? This is a crisis," Widodo mentioned in the video.
Joko Widodo Claims His Cabinet Is Ready to Reshuffle Ministers
"I will take any extraordinary measures for our 267 million people, for the nation. It can be disbanding agencies, can be a reshuffle, I have thought of everything," he said, adding that he may also issue more emergency rules if needed. The president also complained to his ministers of slow government spending in the face of a dire global economic outlook.
New COVID-19 cases in Indonesia continued to rise even as the country eased movement restrictions and allowed some re-openings of businesses this month. On Saturday the country reported its biggest daily rise in infections with 1,385 new cases, and reported another 1,198 on Sunday, taking the total to 54,010 so far. It has recorded 2,754 deaths, the highest in East Asia outside China.
Widodo's government has pledged to spend nearly $50 billion on public health, social protection and relief measures. Southeast Asia's largest economy may fall into a recession this year due to the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, government officials say, sending millions into poverty.
(With agency inputs)
