OJK Urges Banks to Provide Special Services

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Financial Services Authority (OJK) encouraged banks other financial institutions to provide services dedicated to physically challenged people. "[Financial institutions] should pay attention to credit worthiness principles, such as good ash flow. Not physical factors," said Kusumaningtuti S. Soetiono, OJK's Commissioner on Education and Consumer Protection to the press on Monday, April 27, 2015.

Kusumaningtitui said that currently, physically challenged people have little access to financial services. She added that only a handful out of 118 banks and 200 insurance companies registered under the OJK have provided financial services to physically challenged people.

Kusumaningtuti however, applauded several banks that have managed to provide special services such as installing voice recognition devices on their ATMs to help blind people in using ATMs. Kusumaningtuti added that the OJK will continue to inform banks and other financial institutions on their obligation to provide special services for physically challenged people.

Center for Studies on Services for the Disabled (PSLD) in Brawijaya University in Malang, recorded that 94 percent of disabled people in Malang, Mojokerto, and Surabaya never keep track of their financial data. Based on a research conducted in 2014, only six percent of disabled people in the region has good financial record.

ARTIKA RACHMI FARMITA