TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The East Kalimantan branch of Bank Indonesia (BI) announced the amount of counterfeit money in circulation decreased by 36.7 percent in 2017. However, fake money circulation is expected to increase during the upcoming Gubernatorial Election.

“In 2017, [counterfeit money circulation] was under control. I hope it will be the same in 2018,” said I Nyoman Ariawan Atmaja, deputy head of the BI’s East Kalimantan branch office, on Thursday, January 4, 2018.

Read: VP Kalla Calls for Crackdowns on Counterfeit Money Circulation

As an endeavor to anticipate the counterfeit money circulation, BI’s rupiah circulation operation team lead Sehono confirmed that his team will raise an awareness of counterfeit money among the public.

“We will remind the public that there will be a regional election this year, and it usually coincides with an increasing circulation of counterfeit money,” said Sehono.

Read: BI Urges People to be Wary of Counterfeit Money ahead of Eid Day

The counterfeit money is usually distributed in the middle of the night or in the remote area to attract people to vote for certain candidates.

Sehono declined to blame the political system. He emphasized that counterfeit money could be distributed in the middle of the election by certain individuals. Therefore, Soehono suggested the public to remain alert on counterfeit money this year.

SAPRI MAULANA