Dedication of the BRI Minister who Opened the Financial Access Road to Improve the Fate of Fishermen on Seram Island

Asti Alimin, a BRI Mantri of the Masohi Branch Office from the Piru Unit, West Seram Regency, Maluku who was on duty, namely picking up customers in the archipelago/Photo: Dok. BRI

MALUKU - Under the often drastically changing sky of the Maluku Islands, a fiber boat breaks the waves in the Haya Strait. On it, a woman stands alert, her hands clutching the edge of the boat, while her eyes stare intently at the horizon.

The woman was Asti Alimin, a BRI Mantri of the Masohi Branch Office from the Piru Unit, West Seram Regency, Maluku who was on duty, namely picking up customers in the archipelago.

Asti's journey is not an ordinary work trip. For people in West Seram Regency, he became a bridge connecting hope with access to financial services. His dedication began in 2020, when he was entrusted to manage an area that consists mostly of oceans and small islands. One of the areas with the greatest challenges is Kelang Island.

"There is an island that we have just opened the service because there are many requests from the community that have been hampered by distance," said Asti.

The application was the starting point for Asti to get to know the conditions of the Kelang Island community more closely. From the various visits he made, he saw that behind the limited access, the island holds great economic potential. However, for years the community has not been touched by banking services due to the difficult geographical conditions. Armed with a commitment to bring services to the farthest corners, Asti traveled by land and sea to open financial access for the Kelang Island community.

He said, the journey to Kelang Island is not an easy routine. Every time he wants to go to the area, Asti has to travel by land for about an hour from his office in Piru to the crossing point in Waesala.

However, the challenge does not stop there. From Waesala, he still has to cross the ocean for about an hour to reach the main island. Travel time can also increase by about an hour if he has to reach other villages scattered on the island.

For Asti, the sea is not only a connecting route, but also a part of a challenging work field. The weather conditions in Maluku are greatly influenced by the western and eastern seasons. When the west season arrives, high waves often appear in the waters of Waesala to the Hayacoba Strait, so that the journey to Kelang Island requires extra caution.

So, why is Asti willing to take such a big risk? The answer is in the moral burden and love for his homeland. When he was still in college, Asti saw his family on the island having trouble getting business capital.

They have to go far to Ambon or Masohi, but often come home empty-handed because of the geographical access that is considered impossible by the bank. More sad, Asti found many island residents who were victims of fraud by individuals. Residents are asked to deposit a deposit of millions of rupiah with a loan promise, but the perpetrators then disappeared without a trace.

"That is my motivation. Pity these people, they are able to work but they are cheated," he said.

Asti started his steps with education. His strategy is unique: he does not immediately offer credit, but first builds a BRILink Agent network. He wants people to have a place to transact without having to cross the city. From there, he slowly provides financial literacy.

However, Asti faces cultural challenges, where residents are used to saving money in a traditional way. Asti once found a customer who kept money in a pillow or under the mattress until the money was destroyed by rats.

"I told them, don't keep it like that, it will be eaten by rats and it won't be sold anymore," he said with a chuckle.

Finally, he also took part in teaching residents to use digital banking applications such as BRImo and explained the fundamental differences between official banking and usurers so that residents would not be entangled in suffocating debt.

Now, Asti's hard work is starting to bear fruit. From zero, he now manages more than 700 debtors in the region. However, for Asti, these numbers are just statistics. The reason is that the real success is in the lives of its customers. Thanks to the access to the People's Business Credit (KUR) that he brought, the economic face of Kelang Island changed. Fishermen who used to rely only on small machines are now able to buy machines with more power.

As a result, with the new engine, they can deliver fish or agricultural products such as ginger, turmeric, and eucalyptus oil directly to Ambon to get a more competitive price, without having to rely on middlemen.

Asti said that the most touching success stories also came from the education sector and the future of the nation's children. Asti proudly told the story that in one village, there were about 28 young people who managed to pass as soldiers because their parents had enough capital to finance the preparation and education of their children.

"Every time I hear them say 'lucky you have the courage to open access here', my fatigue disappears," said Asti.

Asti's biggest hope is simple, but it means so much. He wants the economy in Maluku, especially in the archipelago where he serves, to be able to develop and have equal opportunities with other regions in Indonesia. He hopes that one day, even though he is no longer serving there, the community will be financially independent, familiar with technology, and have strong economic competitiveness.

On a separate occasion, BRI Corporate Secretary Dhanny said that the presence of the BRI Minister in various regions is an important part of expanding the equalization of financial services, especially for people who have been facing access limitations.

Through consistent mentoring, closeness to the community, and understanding of local economic characteristics, BRI strives to ensure that financial services can have a real and sustainable impact.

"The story of Asti Alimin is a reflection of the spirit of the BRI Ministers in providing financial services to the corners of the country. In the midst of limited access and natural challenges, BRI has proven that in addition to opening access to banking services, financial inclusion also brings hope, encourages independence, and opens opportunities for people to grow together," concluded Dhanny. (ADV)