The Central Bureau of Statistics noted that the national economy contracted 2.07% last year compared to 2019. However, the economies of Sulawesi, as well as Maluku and Papua managed to grow positively. Head of BPS Suhariyanto explained that the Sulawesi economy grew 0.23%, while Maluku and Papua grew 1.44%. However, the contribution of the two regions to the national economy did not reach 10%.
"Sulawesi's economy is still positive, especially thanks to the Central Sulawesi economy which grew 4.86%. Meanwhile, the economies of Maluku and Papua were driven by the economies of North Maluku which grew 4.92% and Papua 2.32%," Suhariyanto said at a GDP press conference for the fourth quarter of 2020. , Friday (5/2). Suhariyanto explained that Central Sulawesi's economy was supported by an increase in nickel production. Meanwhile, the Papuan economy is supported by an increase in copper production.
The spatial structure of the Indonesian economy last year was still dominated by Java with a contribution of 58.75%. Followed by Sumatra 21.36%, Kalimantan 7.94%, Sulawesi 6.66%, Bali and Nusa Tenggara 2.94%, and Maluku and Papua 2.35%. The deepest economic contraction occurred in Bali and Nusa Tenggara, reaching 5.01%, followed by Java with minus 2.51%, Kalimantan negative 2.27%, and Sumatra negative 1.19%. Coordinating Minister for the Economy Airlangga Hartarto explained that the positive growth of the Sulawesi and Maluku-Papua economies was in line with the improvement in export performance. "This is mainly supported by the increase in global commodity prices," he said. BPS noted that Indonesia's economy last year was minus 2.07%. This is the first time the Indonesian economy has been negative on an annual basis since the 1998 monetary crisis. Indonesia is not alone in experiencing an economic contraction. The United States is negative 3.5%, Singapore minus 5.8%, South Korea negative 1%, Hong Kong minus 6.1%, and the European Union minus 6.4%. Only China and Vietnam managed to record growth of 2.3% and 2.9%. He explained that all expenditure components that made up the Gross Domestic Product contracted last year, except for government consumption which grew 1.94%. Meanwhile household consumption was negative 2.63%, consumption by non-profit institutions serving households (LNPRT) was negative 4.29%, gross fixed capital formation / investment was minus 2.95%, and exports and imports were minus 7.7% each. and minus 14.71%.
Bank Permata economist Josua Pardede explained that the pandemic has pushed down productivity from the production side, especially in the manufacturing, trade and construction sectors. Last year's economic growth was the lowest since the 1998 monetary crisis. "Indonesia's economic conditions over the past year tended to be no worse than other countries, given the level of tightness in the government's response in handling the health issue of COVID-19 which was also relatively relaxed," he said. . In the future, according to him, the government needs to focus on handling health issues by optimizing the vaccination program. Currently, the government is allocating a larger PEN budget of up to Rp. 553 trillion and projecting the budget to increase to Rp. 619 trillion. This budget is expected to be able to help economic recovery this year.
