Account in dollar

I opened a Bank Danamon dollar account several months ago at the bank's Jl. Melawai branch, where I was assured that only 1 percent of my savings would be deducted when I closed it. I would accrue 7 percent a month in taxable interest, meaning that in several months I'd withdraw slightly more than I'd deposited. Other banks would first change my dollars into rupiah and then back into dollars, meaning I'd lose a large amount of my savings. Who in their right mind would open an account like this?

When I closed my account at Bank Danamon's Melawai branch recently, they wanted to change my dollars into rupiah first and then back to dollars despite our agreement of several months earlier. I demanded very loudly that I receive all my money, angrily dismissing polite explanations from various clerks. My performance paid off, eventually; I received all my money. They had tried to take nearly a quarter of my savings. What next?

MICHAEL STEWART KNIGHT

Jakarta