Pancur Kasih promotes ethnic harmony<\/p>\n
Bambang Bider, Contributor, Pontianak, West Kalimantan<\/p>\n
Unique handicrafts made by the Dayak tribe decorate the
\nreception of a likewise unique credit union. Two glass paintings
\non either side of the entrance depict a dancing Dayak couple
\ndressed in traditional costume. Their hospitable faces radiate a
\nwarm welcome to visitors.<\/p>\n
While there is skepticism about whether interethnic
\nrelationships in this province will ever improve, this financial
\ninstitution seems to be going against the grain. Located at Jl.
\nSelat Sumba III, Credit Union Pancur Kasih (Love Fountain Credit
\nUnion, CU-PK) has been doing the impossible since 1982. That is,
\nfostering reconciliation through a cooperative undertaking that
\ninvolves different ethnic and religious groups in this province.<\/p>\n
Interethnic relations have been a touchy issue in West
\nKalimantan. A bloody ethnic conflict has pitted native Malays and
\nDayak against Madurese migrants. Other major ethnic groups
\ninclude Chinese and Javanese.<\/p>\n
This credit union was established under the auspices of the
\nPancur Kasih Social Work Foundation (YKSPK).<\/p>\n
\"It all started after AR Mecer, P. Florus and Stefanus Buan
\ntook part in credit union basic education, a program jointly
\nconducted by the socioeconomic development division of the
\nPontianak Diocese and the Indonesian Credit Union Coordination
\nBoard (BK3D),\" said Oktavianus Kamusi, the CU-PK manager.<\/p>\n
The foundation, believing that a credit union was one of the
\nappropriate ways to develop popular economic undertakings,
\ncampaigned for the establishment of this credit union. In 1987,
\nCU-PK came into being.<\/p>\n
Kamusi said that in the beginning the credit union was meant
\nonly for members within the foundation, who were generally
\nChristians of Dayak origin. \"It was this early image of the
\ncredit union that had persuaded non-Dayak people to join,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
With its operation, CU has been striving to narrow the
\neconomic gap between the indigenous and the nonindigenous
\nalthough there are some who believe that this gap is the root
\ncause of the communal conflict in West Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
The credit union has freed itself from the controversy over
\nthe matter. \"CU-PK began by being concerned with the economic
\ncondition of low-income earners and has never taken ethnicity
\ninto account in its operation,\" said Kamusi, who is convinced
\nthat CU-PK can be an effective means to bring about interethnic
\nreconciliation, a condition supported by solidarity, the third
\npillar of the cooperative movement.<\/p>\n
In 2003, CU-PK boasted about 13,267 members, of whom some 30
\npercent are Chinese, Malay, Madurese, Javanese, Batak and so
\nforth. \"These people became interested in joining CU-PK as early
\nas 1998 and 1999,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Mariati of the West Kalimantan Economic and Cooperatives
\nSupervisory Board (BPEK), who is a member of Credit Union
\nKatulistiwa Bhakti (CU-KB), a credit union that, along with CU-
\nPK, is a member of BK3D, said: \"Before the era of regional
\nautonomy was ushered in, there was a cooperatives regional office
\nin the province. Financially battered cooperatives continued to
\nreceive funds from the central government. Today, that is no
\nlonger the case, so these bad cooperatives are in great trouble,\"
\nshe said.<\/p>\n
\"In 1998, we conducted a comparative study between CU-PK and
\nCU-KB. We were prompted to do this because there were a lot of
\nirregularities in work unit cooperatives in the West Kalimantan
\nprovincial administration,\" she said.<\/p>\n
She said that the first lesson learned from this comparative
\nstudy was that CU-PK was exemplary in managerial transparency
\nabout, among other things, its cash flow, accountability and
\nmembership. \"It is almost an ideal cooperative,\" said Mariati,
\nwho is this year's recipient of the largest dividend. She added
\nthat she had never been discriminated against by fellow members
\nand the board of CU-KB, most of whom are non-Muslims.<\/p>\n
She said CU-PK was a place for apprenticeships and comparative
\nstudies for local government cooperatives and cooperative
\nactivists from Papua, Maluku, Java, Bali and East, Central and
\nSouth Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
As of Dec. 31, 2001, CU-PK's assets were worth Rp 37 billion,
\nand it ranked first in the Indonesian Credit Union Movement.<\/p>\n
\"For this achievement, CU-PK has received two citations --
\nboth in management -- from the State Ministry of Cooperatives and
\nSmall and Medium Enterprises,\" Kamusi said.<\/p>\n
Kamusi said that for the pluralist community of West
\nKalimantan, CU-PK was useful in that it provided loans at a low
\ninterest rate.<\/p>\n
\"As it can offer low-interest loans, community members can
\nborrow money for their enterprises. This means opening up more
\njob opportunities and eventually raising the standard of living
\nfor people living in West Kalimantan.\"<\/p>\n
Abdul Hanan, an owner of public transportation vehicles and a
\nmember of CU-PK for two years said, \"I only regret not having
\ngone to CU-PK earlier. Otherwise, I would have had more than
\nthree public transportation vans in operation now.\"<\/p>\n
Hailing from Jember, East Java, Hanan said that CU-PK had been
\ninstrumental in helping his business, especially because he could
\nget low-interest loans, enjoy solidarity with other members and
\ndevelop his business. In this way, he added, he could employ more
\npeople.<\/p>\n
\"In my opinion, CU-PK really intends to help me. The honesty
\nis most important of all. Although they know I'm a migrant, I
\nhave never been treated badly,\" he said. He promised he would
\nencourage his friends to join CU-PK, too.<\/p>\n
\"I used to think that CU-PK was only for certain religious and
\nethnic groups. I realize how wrong I have been. I know many
\noutsiders, like me, who have benefited from CU-PK,\" said Zaleha,
\na teacher.<\/p>\n
Kamusi added, \"All this is a result of the cooperation and
\ncommitment of its members, who trust the credit union. This
\ncommitment is based on solidarity and is free of discrimination
\nagainst any group's background. It is hoped that CU-PK will be a
\nbasis for a popular economy that is capable of competing with
\ncapitalism.\"<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pancur-kasih-promotes-ethnic-harmony-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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