BNI to launch credit card this year

BNI to launch credit card this year

JAKARTA (JP): Publicly listed PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI)
will launch a credit card this year as part of its program to
improve client services.

BNI's president Widigdo Sukarman said here yesterday the
launching would make BNI the first state-owned bank to issue a
credit card. He said the step was needed to enable BNI to
compete with private banks.

"BNI has a commitment not to lag behind private banks in
issuing credit cards," he said when launching the bank's
Kartuplus debit card yesterday.

He said BNI would also launch bill payment through its ATMs
this year to enable Telkomsel handphone owners to pay their bills
through BNI ATMs.

"We will expand this service to other companies later," he
said.

PT Telkomsel, one of seven handphone operators, is owned by PT
Telkom, Netherlands Telecom, PT Indosat and Setdco group.

Yesterday BNI launched its Kartuplus debit card which can be
accessed through the ATM cirrus international network and the
Maestro global network in cooperation with MasterCard
International.

"Kartuplus Cirrus and Maestro improve BNI's services to our
individual, institution and company customers in the domestic and
overseas market," Widigdo said.

He said Kartuplus was launched to commemorate the 51th
anniversary of Bank BNI on July 5th 1997.

He said BNI, which has 312 ATMs across the country, expected
to increase its ATMs to 500 by the end of this year.

He said Kartuplus debit card holders were not only allowed to
access BNI's ATMs but other ATMs which bear the Cirrus and
Maestro signs.

BNI's director Nono Purnomo said the bank had 230,000 BNI ATM
card holders and two million saving account (Taplus) holders.

"All Taplus account holders will get BNI ATM cards later on,"
he said. (09)