JAKARTA – The Association of State Owned Banks (Himbara) has confirmed to decrease the tariff for transaction at the network of Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) Link, as the results of consolidation of the ATM network of state owned banks.

Himbara has set the new transaction tariffs at ATM Link network. The decreases in tariffs include three of four transaction types at the ATM Link network. The tariff cut only affects to the transaction of inter-state owned banks. There are four state owned banks, which will enjoy the tariff cut, namely Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Bank Mandiri, Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), and Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN).

Himbara has agreed to set the tariff of cash withdrawal from IDR7,500 per transaction to zero. As an information, Himbara has not yet agreed the revision on the tariff of payment transaction via ATM.

Consumer Director of BRI Sis Apik Wijayanto said that the customers of state owned banks may enjoy the lower tariff for transaction at the ATM Link network, as the results of the cost savings of the consolidation of state owned banks’ ATM network.

President Director of BNI Achmad Baequni admitted that the state owned bankers have agreed to dismiss the cash withdrawal fees at the ATM Link. However, he added, the tariffs of cash withdrawal at the ATM of regular state owned banks remain unchanged.

The state owned banks have agreed to remove the cost for cash withdrawal at the ATM Link, Baequni said. He stated that the state owned bankers expected that the reduction on transaction cost will encourage public to make transaction via ATM Link network, which has been provided by the state owned banks.

In the long term, the low transaction cost at the ATM may attract potential customers. He continued that the new tariffs are still in pilot project at several units of ATM Link.

Himbara sees to establish 10,000 units of ATMs Link by the end of 2016. BRI, BNI, and Bank Mandiri each will contribute 3,000 units of ATM, while BTN will establish the other 1,000 units of ATM.

In the future, ATM Link will be established at the area of state owned enterprises (SOEs), such as the gas stations of State Owned Oil Company (Pertamina), as well as other places including mini markets (like Alfamart) and shopping centers.

As an information, Himbara and PT Telkom Indonesia have agreed to establish switching company, which will operate the consolidated ATM networks and the electronic data capture (EDC) of those four state owned banks.

Himbara estimated that the establishment of switching companies will save an IDR6.8 trillion of cost per year. According to the initial target, the establishment of 10,000 ATMs will complete by October 2016.

(MUHAMMAD FARID/Translator)

Editor: Rizki Caturini