The Placement Of IDR 76 Trillion SAL Funds In Banking Is Considered To Expand Credit Distribution

JAKARTA - Chief Economist of Citi Indonesia Helmi Arman assessed that the government's move to place additional Budget Balance (SAL) funds of IDR 76 trillion to banks would expand the space for lending in the banking industry.

In a press conference on Economic Expansion and Financial Performance of Citi Indonesia Quarter III/2025 in Jakarta, Tuesday, November 18, he said the additional funds would strengthen the liquidity condition of the banking sector amidst the trend of liquidity injection that has been going on so far this year.

"This year there has been a fairly large creation of banking liquidity, and maybe the biggest after (the) COVID-19 period. Maybe Rp. 400 trillion, yes, our estimate is that at the end of this year's liquidity will increase compared to its position at the end of last year," Helmi said, quoted by Antara.

The increase in banking liquidity during 2025 was accompanied by a number of monetary authority policies, such as the macroprudential liquidity incentive (KLM) policy. Some of these policies are considered capable of creating large amounts of liquidity additional.

According to him, additional government funds in November will make the trend of increasing liquidity continue until next year.

"With further injections, maybe this means that next year there will also be additional banking liquidity. And with the addition of liquidity, the banking liquidity ratio will improve so as to increase capacity for lending," he explained.

Helmi assessed that this condition is important, especially for banks with liquidity ratios that have been close to lower limits so that their credit expansion space becomes limited.

Responding to concerns that the addition of liquidity will only be concentrated on bank members of the Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara), Helmi views that the movement of funds in banks will spread as economic activity progresses.

"The liquidity should gradually spread to all systems (banks). Because along with the creation of new credit, when the credit given is used or spent it should spread. So it is not only concentrated in certain banks, but rather spreads to the system," he added.

The government has again increased the placement of funds from the Over Budget Balance (SAL) by Rp. 76 trillion as of November 10, 2025.

These funds are channeled to four banks, namely Bank Mandiri Rp25 trillion, BRI Rp25 trillion, BNI Rp25 trillion and Bank Jakarta (Bank DKI) Rp1 trillion.

The absorption of the placement of government funds previously also went fast.

In the Commission XI meeting of the DPR RI in Jakarta, Monday (17/11), the Director General of Economic and Fiscal Strategy (SEF) of the Ministry of Finance Febrio Kacaribu explained that banks had used IDR 167.6 trillion or 84 percent of the initial allocation of IDR 200 trillion.

Bank Mandiri and BRI have distributed 100 percent of each Rp55 trillion. BNI distributed Rp37.4 trillion or 68 percent of the same allocation.

BTN disbursed Rp10.3 trillion or 41 percent of the Rp25 trillion that was placed. Meanwhile, BSI distributed Rp9.9 trillion or 99 percent of the Rp10 trillion fund.