Bank Indonesia to close transactions for a week

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

In relation to the upcoming Idul Fitri holiday, the central bank announced on Tuesday that it all banking transactions would close for a week starting on Nov. 24.

Bank Indonesia would resume normal banking transactions on Dec. 1, a press statement said.

The central bank policy is in accordance with the government's policy on the long holiday.

Idul Fitri will officially fall on Nov. 25 and 26, but the government has obliged civil servants to take their annual leave until the end of the week, a move that leaves most private companies with little choice but to follow.

The central bank's announcement means that there will be no business activities in bank offices throughout the country during that period.

However, for customers wishing to conduct personal banking activities such as cash withdrawals, fund transfers between bank accounts and bill payments, they can still do so through automated teller machines (ATMs) or by internet banking.

Many banks even have officers who will monitor the status of ATMs 24 hours a day, to anticipate whether or not the ATMs need refilling.

Those services will come on top of the online operators, who are supposedly on call for 24 hours, provided by the banks.