MSME Customers Reach 15.2 Million, Jokowi Calls BRI President Director Worthy Of Nobel Prize

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) appreciates the efforts of PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or Bank BRI in embracing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to be able to access formal finance. Where, PNM Mekaar BRI customers have reached 15.2 million.

In addition, according to Jokowi, BRI has also succeeded in developing Ultra Micro Holding or UMI, which has 8.2 million customers and can provide loans of up to IDR 10 million.

For this achievement, Jokowi assessed that BRI President Director Sunarso deserves a nobelian award for his performance, as stated by Grameen Bank because he has 6.5 million customers.

"Grameen Bank Mr. Muhammad Yunus got a nobelue because Grameen Bank has a customer of 6.5 million. This should have been given a nobelum for Mr. President Director Sunarso," he said at the BRI Microfinance Outlook 2024 event, in Jakarta, Thursday, March 7.

According to Jokowi, Sunarso has not received a nobelue because no one has yet proposed it. Even so, he considered Sunarso also worthy of a nobel.

"6.5 can be, in the past PNM Mekaar which was 15.2 million, then UMI can be 8.2 million, then KUR 16 million, a number that is not small. I don't know, I haven't been able to because maybe no one has proposed it. It can be taken care of in nobel's affairs," he said.

On the other hand, Jokowi said that the Mekaar PNM had very good development. Initially, in 2015 it only had 400,000 customers, now managed to touch 15.2 million and provide loans of Rp. 25 million.

In fact, he continued, the total credit disbursed also increased from Rp800 billion in 2015 to Rp244 trillion.

"I remember 2015 at approximately Rp800 billion, then entering Rp244 trillion, it was a huge jump. Things like this should be given appreciation," he said.