Prabowo Urges State Banks to Expand Financial Inclusion for Social Aid Distribution

JAKARTA, investortrust.id – President Prabowo Subianto has called on the chief executives of Indonesia’s largest state-owned banks to accelerate efforts to improve financial inclusion, particularly for recipients of government aid. The meeting, held at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Friday, aims to ensure that subsidies and social assistance programs reach the right beneficiaries through personal bank accounts.

According to Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of Indonesia’s Financial Services Authority, Mahendra Siregar, the high-level discussion focused on expanding access to bank accounts and ensuring government programs are delivered efficiently.

“The meeting centered on financial inclusion, particularly account ownership and government program distribution,” Mahendra told state news agency Antara on Sunday. “The aim is to make sure aid and subsidies directly reach eligible recipients through their own bank accounts.”

President Prabowo convened the leadership of the four Himbara banks—Bank Mandiri, Bank Rakyat Indonesia, Bank Negara Indonesia, and Bank Tabungan Negara—to accelerate bank account ownership among low-income individuals and subsidy recipients. Himbara is a consortium of state-owned lenders supporting government financial initiatives.

The president also instructed that distribution could be supported through postal services in areas where banking infrastructure remains limited.

Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto, who also attended the meeting, emphasized that around 89 percent of Indonesians now have access to basic banking services. However, he acknowledged that gaps persist, particularly in remote regions and among communities with low financial literacy.

“While most regions are doing well, areas like North Maluku and Halmahera still lag behind,” Airlangga said. “There is a need to strengthen financial education, so people understand how to use accounts and manage investment risks.”

The meeting also discussed strategies for boosting banking literacy across underserved areas. President Prabowo directed Himbara banks to continue rolling out financial education programs to ensure that Indonesians not only own bank accounts but also use them effectively.

Present at the closed-door meeting were Bank Mandiri CEO Darmawan Junaidi, BRI CEO Sunarso, BNI CEO Royke Tumilaar, and BTN CEO Nixon LP Napitupulu. Also in attendance were Bank Indonesia Governor Perry Warjiyo, Statistics Indonesia Head Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti, Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) Chief Ivan Yustiavandana, and OJK Chairman Mahendra Siregar.

Cabinet ministers at the meeting included Coordinating Minister Airlangga Hartarto, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati, and Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf.