Held A Monthly Financial Inclusion Program, OJK Claims New Account Opening Soared To 2 Million Accounts

JAKARTA - The Financial Services Authority (OJK) reported that 2 million new bank accounts were opened during the 2021 Financial Inclusion Month (BIK) program which was held from 1 to 31 October 2021.

OJK Deputy Commissioner for Education and Consumer Protection Sardjito said this program seeks to encourage financial access to the public which is believed to be able to support national economic recovery and improve people's welfare.

"During the month of financial inclusion, 2,183 activities were carried out throughout Indonesia with a total of 1.3 participants," he said in a virtual press conference, Tuesday, November 2.

According to Sardjito, the activities are carried out in a hybrid manner, both face-to-face in the pandemic green zone and virtual in other areas.

"Lending and financing in the 2021 BIK period were recorded as 168,370 debtors," he continued.

As for the insurance industry, there are 93,000 new policies opened. Then for the capital market side there are as many as 330,000 new accounts.

Then, the finance company channeled funding to 633,000 debtors, opened 15,160 new Pegadaian accounts with 58,000 new customer accounts.

Not only targeting the general public, the 2021 Financial Inclusion Month also targets students to be more familiar with formal financial products.

"OJK continues to encourage the One Account One Student (Kejar) program, which targets 70 percent of Indonesian students to have a banking savings account this year," he said.

Furthermore, Sardjito hopes that the 2021 BIK activities can strengthen public confidence in financial products and services, as well as provide convenience to open financial access for the banking sector, capital market, insurance, financial institutions, pawnshops, pension funds, fintech, and e-commerce.

"We want the financial industry to be able to further support the national economic recovery and achieve the financial inclusion target of 90 percent by the end of 2024," concluded Sarjito.