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Digital islands: Central bank, Bank DKI encourage cashless payments on Thousand Islands
The central bank and Jakarta-owned Bank DKI are cooperating with several small and medium enterprises to encourage cashless transactions.
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Tidung Island in Thousand Islands in Jakarta. (Shutterstock/File)
T
he Jakarta chapter of Bank Indonesia (BI) and the Jakarta-owned Bank DKI have launched the Digital Island program in the Thousand Islands on Thursday to encourage the safety of tourists carrying out transactions there.
In the event, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) on Tidung Island each received a QR Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS).
“We hope that the tourists visiting the area can feel safe and comfortable when doing transactions with this safe, efficient and inclusive payment method,” said Hamid Ponco, head of representatives of BI's Jakarta chapter, as quoted by Antara news agency.
Today there are six islands where cashless transactions can take place with ATMs or QR Codes.
On Tidung Island, the QRIS had been tested in August as a pilot project.
Bank DKI director Ateng Rivai said that Bank DKI applied a financial inclusion program in the area, including the Laku Pandai (branchless banking) program and subsidies to small businesses. Bank DKI also provided 11 ATMs, 69 card swipe machines and several QR code machines to the Thousand Islands.
The card swipe machines were given to SME owners on Harapan Island, Kelapa Island, Lancang Island, Panggang Island, Pari Island, Payung Island, Pramuka Island, Sabira Island, Tidung Island and Untung Jawa Island.
It is expected that banking transactions would become easier with the improvement.
Bank DKI also sent Laku Pandai agents to the area to help locals and tourists do their banking. “People can open an account or withdraw money from Laku Pandai agents who are cooperating with Bank DKI,” Ateng said.
The Thousand Islands regency, located in West Jakarta Bay 45 kilometers north of the capital city in the Java Sea, is probably the nearest tropical escape from the co-called Big Durian.
According to records, about 5,000 tourists visit various islands of the regency every month. (gis)
