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)