Indonesia braces itself for social unrest amid economic downturn

Police officers give out masks and hand sanitiser during to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in Depok, on the outskirts of Jakarta, Indonesia April 15, 2020. - Reuters

JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/ANN): The Indonesian government is bracing itself for social unrest ahead of the Ramadan fasting month amid the economic downturn caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, which has hit purchasing power and put many people out of work.

The Executive Office of the President held an online meeting with the National Police's Security Intelligence Agency (Baintelkam) on Wednesday (April 15) to discuss various economic measures and prepare for an increase in crimes and security threats.