'Magic' Policy To Check Balance And Cash Withdrawal At Atm Kena Biaya, Consumer Community Report BRI, Mandiri, BNI, BTN To KPPU

JAKARTA - The Indonesian Consumer Community alisa KKI reported the State Bank Association (Himbara) to the Business Competition Supervisory Commission (KPPU) regarding the imposition of balance check fees and cash withdrawals at Link's self-service cash machines (ATMs). The four state-owned banks charge the same rates for balance check transactions and cash withdrawals.

Indonesian Consumer Community Chairman David Tobing said it had officially sent a report to KPPU on Himbara's actions in the imposition of balance check fees and cash withdrawals as alleged cartels.

Furthermore, David explained there are several reasons underlying KKI reported Himbara to KPPU. First, that banks in Himbara namely Mandiri, BRI, BTN and BNI have made an Agreement with Competitors to set the price for a goods /services that must be paid by consumers or customers in the same market by means of the imposition of balance check fees and cash withdrawals for ATM Link Customers dated June 1, 2021.

"The action we suspect violates Article 5 of Law No. 5 of 1999 concerning prohibition of Monopoly Practices and Business Competition," he said, quoted Tuesday, May 25.

Second, that the determination of the imposition of balance check fees and cash withdrawals to ATM Link Customers dated June 1, 2021 is the act of businesses that make agreements with competitors to influence prices that can affect monopoly practices and or unfair business competition (Article 11 of Law No. 5 of 1999).

"Lastly, at the moment the dependence of the public on ATMs is so large that the determination of the cost of balance checks and cash withdrawals is very detrimental to consumers / communities and creates unhealthy business competition," he said.

For these three reasons, David considers Himbara's actions to be pseudo-competition because there is no business competition in serving consumers.

"Businesses should compete with each other to serve consumers but this is even eroding consumer money / society," he explained.

KPPU, said David, must firmly stop this Cartel to protect ATM Link customers and indonesian society in general.

As is known, balance check transactions, cash withdrawals and transfers using state-owned bank debit cards namely PT Bank Mandiri Tbk, PT Bank Rakyat Indonesia Tbk (BRI), PT Bank Negara Indonesia Tbk (BNI), and PT Bank Tabungan Negara Tbk (BTN), at Link's self-service cash machines (ATMs) will be charged starting June 1, 2021.

The fees pegged by the four banks are the same, for balance check transactions of Rp2,500 and cash withdrawals of Rp5,000 at different Himbara ATM machines and ATM Link, from the original Rp0 or free.

Chairman of the Daily Board of YLKI Tulus Abadi criticized the policy plan. According to Tulus, the balance check transaction that is charged will make the consumer's money, because the savings balance is getting worse.

"Then what's the point of keeping money in the bank? It is better to keep it in bed only. Therefore, this discourse must be rejected because it is an exploitative policy," he said in a written statement, quoted Sunday, May 23.

Tulus also assessed the bank's reasoning that the change in rates is for the convenience of customers. According to him, it's a unilateral claim, on behalf of consumers.

"What comfort? Emang there is a survey related to this? Strange magic bin. The claims are paradoxical," he said.

According to Tulus, banks make admin fees the main income, and this is unfair. Because, if observed, the life of the bank only relies on admin fees from customers.

"Let's take a look, every customer per month is minimally deducted Rp14,000. So long ago the customer's money was consumed by administrative costs. It's called nabung want to profit or want to buntung?," he said.