TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo has urged for the extension of banking services to cover coastal areas to spread development.

He made the statement while inaugurating a boat banking service of state-owned Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) for the Kepulauan Seribu (the Thousand Islands) region, at Kali Adem Port in Pluit, North Jakarta, on Tuesday.

"When I visit remote regions, I often find no facility of this kind. I hope this is the first step and that it will involve not merely one ship later but thousands of them, to serve coastal and other remote regions," he stated aboard the Bahtera Seva I vessel used for the banking service.

He expressed hope that this facility can be spread across Indonesia so that "circulation of money will be felt in regions and we can see it in our banking system."

Only a few people in coastal regions receive banking services due to limited access, according to the head of state.

The president also affirmed that he will encourage other banks to take the same initiative to expedite the spread of development to remote regions.

Furthermore, Director of BRI Asmawi Syam noted that he hoped this service offered by his bank meets the needs of fishermen in the region.

"This service is intended for people living in coastal areas and fishermen," he stated.

Syam also pointed out that he hoped that with this facility, fishermen do not have to leave their boats or businesses to access a banking service.

At the outlet on the ship, there are two tellers, a cashier, and a customer service officer, as well as an EDC machine.

The ship serves a number of main islands in Kepulauan Seribu district.

The opening ceremony was attended by State-Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno, Governor of Bank Indonesia Agus Martowardojo, Deputy Governor of Jakarta Djarot Syaiful Hidayat, and Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Financial Services Authority Muliaman Hadad.

ANTARA