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President Joko Widodo. ANTARA/BPMI Setpres/Handout/wsj

President Joko Widodo has been watching carefully the current world economic growth that is experiencing a sharp correction and the entire nation grappling to avoid falling into recession.

The head of state made the remarks in his welcome address while opening the 2020 National Internal Control Coordinating Meeting of the Government in 2020 through videoconference from the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Monday.

"All countries are struggling to salvage themselves from terrible economic pressures. Demand and supply are disrupted, production is also problematic, and the world economic growth is witnessing a very sharp correction. All countries are struggling to not enter the brink of recession," the president remarked in Jakarta on Monday.

Widodo pointed to all nations, including Indonesia, facing such a situation.

The president called for swift and appropriate government response to all matters.

"In the health sector, we must control the transmission of COVID-19, so that it does not spread more broadly and does not infect healthy people, while the sick should be treated until healed. In the socio-economic field, we also have to guarantee that poor people and those affected by COVID-19 receive protection and social assistance," the president emphasized.

The head of state also called on the government to ensure that the informal sector and MSMEs continue to survive and that businesses keep moving while also avoiding mass layoffs.(ANTARA)