OJK Explains Why the Placement of IDR 200 Trillion in SAL Funds Should Not Be Limited to 6 Months
The Head of Banking Supervision at the Financial Services Authority (OJK), Dian Ediana Rae, has welcomed the plan by Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa to extend the placement of IDR 200 trillion in Surplus Budget Funds (SAL) at state-owned banks. Dian stated that the current 6-month placement is insufficient to encourage lending, and that extending the period will maximise the benefits of the state funds.
“When I first met with the Finance Minister, I already mentioned that 6 months is not enough. Financing, including for MSMEs, cannot be implemented within 6 months,” said Dian at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Jakarta, on Thursday, February 26, 2026.
Previously, IDR 200 trillion was placed in banks that are members of the Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara) since September 2025. The placement of these funds will mature in March. However, the government has stated that it will not withdraw or extend the period of the funds for another 6 months.
Furthermore, Dian stated that extending the SAL funds placed in banks will have a positive impact, including increasing liquidity and lowering interest rates. With the availability of fresh funds of IDR 200 trillion, competition for funds between banks will decrease. Banks will no longer be dependent on large customers or depositors who request special, higher interest rates.
“Usually, large customers request special interest rates above the normal rate to deposit their money. If liquidity increases, competition for funds will decrease. Therefore, banks will not need to negotiate special rates. Currently, the average funding rate is decreasing, and credit interest rates have also decreased overall,” said Dian.
The IDR 200 trillion in SAL funds was initially transferred to five banks, namely Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), Bank Mandiri, Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN), and Bank Syariah Indonesia (BSI). The injection of funds into the banking system was carried out through a Minister of Finance Decree (KMK) Number 276 of 2025 on Friday, September 12, 2025.
The plan to extend the placement of funds for another 6 months was revealed by Purbaya during a press conference on the State Budget on February 23, 2026. An evaluation of the policy will be carried out again in September. “Therefore, banks do not need to worry about losing liquidity because the government will continue to support liquidity in the market,” said the Finance Minister.