Pancur Kasih promotes ethnic harmony

Bambang Bider, Contributor, Pontianak, West Kalimantan

Unique handicrafts made by the Dayak tribe decorate the reception of a likewise unique credit union. Two glass paintings on either side of the entrance depict a dancing Dayak couple dressed in traditional costume. Their hospitable faces radiate a warm welcome to visitors.

While there is skepticism about whether interethnic relationships in this province will ever improve, this financial institution seems to be going against the grain. Located at Jl. Selat Sumba III, Credit Union Pancur Kasih (Love Fountain Credit Union, CU-PK) has been doing the impossible since 1982. That is, fostering reconciliation through a cooperative undertaking that involves different ethnic and religious groups in this province.

Interethnic relations have been a touchy issue in West Kalimantan. A bloody ethnic conflict has pitted native Malays and Dayak against Madurese migrants. Other major ethnic groups include Chinese and Javanese.

This credit union was established under the auspices of the Pancur Kasih Social Work Foundation (YKSPK).

"It all started after AR Mecer, P. Florus and Stefanus Buan took part in credit union basic education, a program jointly conducted by the socioeconomic development division of the Pontianak Diocese and the Indonesian Credit Union Coordination Board (BK3D)," said Oktavianus Kamusi, the CU-PK manager.

The foundation, believing that a credit union was one of the appropriate ways to develop popular economic undertakings, campaigned for the establishment of this credit union. In 1987, CU-PK came into being.

Kamusi said that in the beginning the credit union was meant only for members within the foundation, who were generally Christians of Dayak origin. "It was this early image of the credit union that had persuaded non-Dayak people to join," he said.

With its operation, CU has been striving to narrow the economic gap between the indigenous and the nonindigenous although there are some who believe that this gap is the root cause of the communal conflict in West Kalimantan.

The credit union has freed itself from the controversy over the matter. "CU-PK began by being concerned with the economic condition of low-income earners and has never taken ethnicity into account in its operation," said Kamusi, who is convinced that CU-PK can be an effective means to bring about interethnic reconciliation, a condition supported by solidarity, the third pillar of the cooperative movement.

In 2003, CU-PK boasted about 13,267 members, of whom some 30 percent are Chinese, Malay, Madurese, Javanese, Batak and so forth. "These people became interested in joining CU-PK as early as 1998 and 1999," he added.

Mariati of the West Kalimantan Economic and Cooperatives Supervisory Board (BPEK), who is a member of Credit Union Katulistiwa Bhakti (CU-KB), a credit union that, along with CU- PK, is a member of BK3D, said: "Before the era of regional autonomy was ushered in, there was a cooperatives regional office in the province. Financially battered cooperatives continued to receive funds from the central government. Today, that is no longer the case, so these bad cooperatives are in great trouble," she said.

"In 1998, we conducted a comparative study between CU-PK and CU-KB. We were prompted to do this because there were a lot of irregularities in work unit cooperatives in the West Kalimantan provincial administration," she said.

She said that the first lesson learned from this comparative study was that CU-PK was exemplary in managerial transparency about, among other things, its cash flow, accountability and membership. "It is almost an ideal cooperative," said Mariati, who is this year's recipient of the largest dividend. She added that she had never been discriminated against by fellow members and the board of CU-KB, most of whom are non-Muslims.

She said CU-PK was a place for apprenticeships and comparative studies for local government cooperatives and cooperative activists from Papua, Maluku, Java, Bali and East, Central and South Kalimantan.

As of Dec. 31, 2001, CU-PK's assets were worth Rp 37 billion, and it ranked first in the Indonesian Credit Union Movement.

"For this achievement, CU-PK has received two citations -- both in management -- from the State Ministry of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises," Kamusi said.

Kamusi said that for the pluralist community of West Kalimantan, CU-PK was useful in that it provided loans at a low interest rate.

"As it can offer low-interest loans, community members can borrow money for their enterprises. This means opening up more job opportunities and eventually raising the standard of living for people living in West Kalimantan."

Abdul Hanan, an owner of public transportation vehicles and a member of CU-PK for two years said, "I only regret not having gone to CU-PK earlier. Otherwise, I would have had more than three public transportation vans in operation now."

Hailing from Jember, East Java, Hanan said that CU-PK had been instrumental in helping his business, especially because he could get low-interest loans, enjoy solidarity with other members and develop his business. In this way, he added, he could employ more people.

"In my opinion, CU-PK really intends to help me. The honesty is most important of all. Although they know I'm a migrant, I have never been treated badly," he said. He promised he would encourage his friends to join CU-PK, too.

"I used to think that CU-PK was only for certain religious and ethnic groups. I realize how wrong I have been. I know many outsiders, like me, who have benefited from CU-PK," said Zaleha, a teacher.

Kamusi added, "All this is a result of the cooperation and commitment of its members, who trust the credit union. This commitment is based on solidarity and is free of discrimination against any group's background. It is hoped that CU-PK will be a basis for a popular economy that is capable of competing with capitalism."