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Chicken soup for angry souls: Prabowo’s billion-dollar stimulus soothes Indonesians after unrest
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Mr Asep Dadi (left) and woven fabric seller Hery Cristiano (right) are among small business owners and workers who are watching the stimulus closely.
PHOTOS: COURTESY OF ASEP DADI, HERY CRISTIANO
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- Indonesia launched a S$1.25 billion stimulus package to boost the economy, including a "cash for work" programme for 600,000 rural workers, following public anger and a Cabinet reshuffle.
- The stimulus includes tax breaks, insurance subsidies for informal workers, internships, and affordable housing initiatives, aiming to support households and stimulate economic activity until 2026.
- Economists offered mixed views, with concerns about the package's scale, potential for corruption, and long-term impact, stressing the need for effective oversight and job creation.
AI generated
JAKARTA – When his small clothing and shirt-printing business in Subang, West Java, folded during the Covid-19 pandemic, Indonesian Asep Dadi turned to making masks – and nearly went bankrupt in the face of stiff competition.
For the past five years, the 50-year-old has scraped by with odd jobs, from welding and installing doors to selling household staples and brokering shoes to schools. He has also done back-breaking construction work, sometimes mixing cement and hauling buckets under the scorching sun.
