Qodari: Prabowo wants Himbara to become patriotic banking

President Prabowo Subianto is encouraging the Association of State-Owned Banks (Himbara) to become patriotic banking that expands financing access for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and supports economic equality without neglecting sound business principles, according to a senior official. Muhammad Qodari, Head of the Presidential Communication Office (Bakom), stated that the President emphasised the strategic role of the banking sector as an economic driver whose benefits must be increasingly felt by the wider community, especially MSMEs, which form the backbone of the national economy. “The President stressed a new paradigm regarding the future role of Himbara. The President wants Himbara to become what is termed patriotic banking,” Qodari said in a statement in Jakarta on Monday. Qodari explained that the concept of patriotic banking envisioned by President Prabowo means state-owned banks are not measured solely by the size of their profits, but also by their contribution to creating economic equality and opening wider business opportunities for the public. Consequently, the President has asked Himbara to be more active in reaching MSMEs and expanding financing distribution to productive sectors. President Prabowo also urged the banks not to merely wait for prospective debtors to come to branch offices, but to proactively go into the field to meet business actors and understand their needs. The President wants state-owned banks to be present in the community and help open access to financing so that productive businesses can grow faster. Nevertheless, the President stressed that expanding the social and economic functions of Himbara must not come at the expense of the banking industry’s health. The government has assured that the state-owned banks will continue to be managed professionally with prudential principles and good governance. Through this directive, President Prabowo hopes the country’s economic strength can be harnessed to accelerate the equitable distribution of prosperity and drive more inclusive and sustainable economic growth. Data compiled by ANTARA indicates that Himbara is already the largest distributor of MSME credit in Indonesia, particularly through Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), which has a specific focus on the micro and MSME segments. Nationally, the share of MSME credit in total bank lending was only around 18.93 percent as of March 2025. The government has long targeted a 30 percent share of total bank credit for MSMEs. Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani previously stated that over the past year (2025–2026), bank lending to the public, including MSMEs, grew by an average of about 15 percent. Furthermore, in public discussions following President Prabowo’s directive to Himbara, it was noted that the proportion of MSME credit varies among the state-owned banks, with BRI at around 81.97 percent, Bank Mandiri at around 20–22 percent, BNI at around 20–22 percent, and BTN at around 13–15 percent.