We hope in the next one or two months the standardization will be finished which we will discuss with Bank IndonesiaJakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian Credit Card Association (AKKI) plans to issue ethical and regulatory standards for debt collectors following the death of a customer recently.
"To prevent the case in the future we in the industry will issue standards of debt collection," AKKI general manager Steve Marta said on the sidelines of a meeting between banks that issue credit cards and the central bank here on Monday.
He said every bank actually has already had standards but they vary from one to another so that a common standard is needed that must be adhered to by 21 banks that produce credit cards.
Standardization is needed due to complaints so far about the use of threats for collecting debt, he said.
"We hope in the next one or two months the standardization will be finished which we will discuss with Bank Indonesia," he said.
AKKI chairman Dodit W Probojakti meanwhile said with standardization all banks would have the same rules that they must follow so that the case of violence on customers could be prevented.
According to Bank Indonesia Regulations (PBI), every debt collector must have a license and must adhere to the agreement made with banks.
Last week a Citibank credit card holder Irzen Octa died at a room in the Citibank office in Jamsostek Tower after receiving pressures when seeking the settlement of his debt.
The police have named the suspects from a debt collecting company in connection with the case while the Citibank is still declared as a witness.
According to the central bank, 20 banks are recorded issuing credit cards while the five principals include American Express, Japan Credit Bureau, Mastercard International, Visa Card International and China Unionpay.
In 2010 the number of credit cards in the country reached 13.574 million with transactions totalling 199.036 millions worth Rp163.206 trillion.(*)
Editor: Aditia Maruli Radja
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