BNI prepares Indonesia-Hong Kong worker card

State-owned PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) will be launching Indonesia-Hong Kong Worker Card (KPIH), a multi-function card for Indonesian employees in Hong Kong.

The Bank had previously launched Indonesia-Singapore Worker Card (KPIS) in November 2016.

The dissemination and soft launching event of the card was carried out in the presence of 500 Indonesian migrant workers in the Banks Hong Kong branch on Jan 22, and was attended by BNIs Vice President Suprajarto.

“There are savings acquisition potentials, which reached 25 thousand Indonesian migrant workers in Hong Kong. This card has many functions. Apart from being a debit card, it can also act as a Worker Identity Card,” Suprajarto said in an official statement received by Antara here on Monday.

The cards functions include Internet/Mobile/SMS banking facilities that ease transaction processes, access to the Banks programs information and remittance and/or bill settlement to Indonesia through BNIs Hong Kong branch or ATM machines.

The card can also be used as a shopping card in stores with a MasterCard logo in their EDC s.

Card holders also get a chance to join an entrepreneurship training program called “KAMI bersama BNI” (We are with BNI), as well get home credit facilities for new residential purchases or renovations through BNIs Hong Kong branch.

As an appreciation to the Banks consumers, BNI is having a remittance fee discount program for money wiring services through the Hong Kong branch, in which transfer costs are being exempted for transactions among BNI accounts, he continued.

Customers can also move their savings balance into a deposit account once the amount is considerably high, and they can also propose for the Worker Retirement account and auto-debit system for health and work insurances.

For migrant workers who wish to start their own business in Indonesia, BNI also offers financial support through their Peoples Business Credit (KUR) program.

They can simply contact the Banks small credit centers across Indonesia to submit their proposal.

One of the programs selling points lies in its low interest rate, which is noted to be at 9 percent annually as per 2016.

Until the end of 2016, BNI had given out credits to 386 migrant workers in Hong Kong through seven credit centers, with the loan reaching Rp5.3 billion.

The loan is also being disposed to migrant workers who had been employed in Singapore, Japan and Taiwan.

As of December 2016, there are 2,463 debtors, with the total amount reaching Rp38.9 billion.