Economic Opportunities and Challenges in Indonesia's New Era of Governance

BANDUNG: Harian Bisnis Indonesia (Indonesian Business Daily) together with PT Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional Tbk (BTPN) organized a discussion on opportunities and challenges for the business world in the era of the new Joko Widodo and Jusuf Kalla government. This discussion, which was attended by dozens of business people, was moderated by Arif Budisusilo in his role as Editor-in-Chief of Harian Bisnis Indonesia, and featured Hendri Saparini, an economist from CORE Indonesia, as well as Anika Faisal, Director of BTPN, as speakers. 
In the discussion that took pla

ce at the Dago branch of BTPN Sinaya, the CORE Indonesia economist Hendri Saparini declared that Indonesian entrepreneurs must be ready to face the launch of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015. To this end, effective strategies are required so that business people on all levels are able to take advantage of AEC market opportunities in an optimal fashion. One of the constraining factors for potential business people in developing micro and small enterprises in Indonesia is a difficulty in accessing capital. In light of this, the support of the banking sector is sorely needed to help develop these business segments.

At the same occasion, Director of BTPN Anika Faisal expounded on the BTPN business model that focuses on serving and empowering the mass market segment, which is composed of pensioners, micro & small entrepreneurs, as well as productive poor communities. By means of this business model, BTPN not only provides access to capital, but also enhances the capacities of its customers through the Daya Program.

BTPN's funding mechanism and services form part of its business unit BTPN Sinaya, in which BTPN Sinaya customers not only get optimal returns, but also have the opportunity to empower segments of their own society.

"BTPN Sinaya offers a new perspective in banking, as the funds collected through Bank Sinaya are distributed to low-income communities, as well as micro and small enterprises, in the form of loans. Moreover, Bank Sinaya also offers an opportunity to all its savers and depositors to participate in the Sahabat Daya Program. This program opens up avenues for savers and depositors to share and interact directly with mass market customers," explained Anika

Date Published: 19 September 2014

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