"We hold Ferbi with the objective of interpreting rupiah as the symbol of sovereignty of Indonesia. Therefore, we organize it (the festival) on every occasion of the commemoration of Indonesia's Independence Day anniversary," BI Governor Perry Warjiyo stated at the festival in Jakarta on Friday.
Warjiyo elaborated that the national currency depicts elements of the sovereignty of the country, such as through the images of national heroes as well as Indonesia's cultural wealth.
He urged the people to learn to develop a better understanding of the rupiah, increase their love for the currency, and learn how to use it wisely.
According to Warjiyo, the status of the rupiah, as a symbol of sovereignty, is also reflected in its function as a means of payment in three forms: conventional banknotes and coins, card-based payment instruments, and digital payment instruments.
The government has devised the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS) as a national standard for digital payment methods based on QR codes.
Moreover, BI further developed the QRIS by launching QRIS TUNTAS on Thursday (August 17) to coincide with the 78th anniversary of Indonesia's Independence Day.
QRIS TUNTAS provides convenience to people not having access to banking accounts, including those living in the disadvantaged, frontier, and outermost (3T) regions, so they can participate in various financial activities, such as cash withdrawals, transfers, and deposits.
The government expects QRIS TUNTAS to drive its efforts in expanding digital payment access to reach all elements of society in the hopes of increasing financial inclusiveness in the country.
The BI governor noted that the service fees of QRIS TUNTAS are quite affordable: Rp5,000 (US$0.32) for cash withdrawal, Rp6,500 (US$0.42) for cash deposit, Rp2,500 (US$0.16) for transfer with the amount below Rp100 thousand, and Rp2,000 (US$0.13) for transfer above Rp100 thousand.
"Hence, we strive to raise the spirit of Indonesian sovereignty. Let us love rupiah not only as a banknote but also as a symbol of sovereignty," he pointed out.
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Translator: Imamatul S, Tegar Nurfitra
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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