Bank Bali introduces debit card

JAKARTA (JP): Bank Bali introduced yesterday a card that allows its holders to purchase goods in designated stores while their spending is deducted directly from their accounts.

Vice president of Bank Bali Gandakusuma who launched the BaliAccess Debit Card Maestro International at Hero Supermarket said the card will prove very convenient for Bank Bali clients as they won't need to carry around lots of cash when they go shopping.

"But the card also brings budget discipline as the card holders can shop only up to the amount kept at their accounts at Bank Bali," he added.

He said that the card will soon be accepted by thousands of merchants throughout the country.

Hero's Director Anton Lukmanto welcomed the introduction of the new facility, saying "the card enables us to fulfill our commitment to steadily improve services to our customers."

The BaliAccess Card holders can also buy goods in shopping centers overseas that bear the logo of Debit Card Maestro International, an affiliate of MasterCard International, which has business ties with Bank Bali.

The card holders can also use their cards to take cash from hundreds of thousands of Automated Teller Machines (ATM) world wide, which are related to the International Cirrus system, another affiliate of MasterCard.(09)