SAVING of PROTECTION INVESTMENT

Novia D. Rulistia, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The banking sector needs to boost its lending to small and medium enterprises (SMEs) due to the sector's proven resilience and huge contribution to employment and the economy, a seminar determined Monday.

Ali Masykur Musa, lawmaker from House of Representatives Commission XI overseeing financial affairs, said that while the loans were on the rise, banks were still not meeting their potential when it came to extending loans to SMEs.

"So far, the SMEs only take about 40 percent of the annual lending provided by banks, while the other 60 percent goes to large companies," he said.

"That's not good enough considering the role the SMEs play in the economy."

According to the cooperatives and SMEs ministry, SMEs made up 90 percent of the country's 48.9 million business enterprises in 2006. They employed 96 percent of approximately 88 million workers that year.

"While other businesses are still struggling to get their feet back on the ground around 10 years after the (economic) crisis, the SMEs sector remains resilient and has been showing good performance in supporting the economy," Ali said.

Andang Setyobudi, head of research and development at Bank Indonesia's credit and SMEs directorate, said a fully empowered SMEs sector was the answer to Indonesia's wide income disparity.

"Funding accessibility for the SMEs must be increased. Not only from banks, but also from non-bank institutions, such as cooperatives, pawnshops and venture capital."

Andang said the central bank predicted bank loans to SMEs this year would increase by up to 20 percent from last year, on the back of a government program which provides funds to guarantee bank loans to SMEs.

The absence of collateral is among the key reasons behind banks' reluctance to provide loans to SMEs.

The government program, which was launched last November, involves six banks: Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI), Bank Mandiri, Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI), Bank Tabungan Negara (BTN), Bank Bukopin and Bank Syariah Mega.

Budi Gunadi Sadikin, director of micro and retail banking at Bank Mandiri, told the seminar the bank expected a 20 percent increase in SME credits this year.

In 2007, the bank disbursed Rp 15.7 billion for SMEs, up from Rp 9.25 billion in 2006.

Posted by Taurida Adinda at 9:25 PM