PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk, or BNI, has clarified that the Swadharma Pematangsiantar Cooperative is not affiliated with the company. This clarification was issued to set the record straight regarding public perceptions surrounding the case involving the cooperative.
BNI Corporate Secretary Okki Rushartomo explained that the Swadharma Cooperative was established in 2007 through its own articles of incorporation and has an independent governance structure and operational management separate from BNI.
“The cooperative is intended for internal employees, not the general public. All of its operational activities and decisions are the responsibility of the cooperative’s board of directors,” Okki said in a written statement.
In practice, the cooperative allegedly offered savings products to non-members with returns ranging from 1.5% to 2% per month. These activities were not in accordance with the provisions of the cooperative’s Articles of Association and Bylaws. Additionally, indications of document forgery were also found in this case.
This situation, coupled with the presence of cooperatives that had previously operated within BNI office premises, contributed to confusion among the public. To prevent a recurrence of such incidents, BNI has taken steps since 2016 to prohibit cooperatives from operating on BNI office premises.
Since the case first came to light, BNI has consistently maintained that the depositors’ legal relationship is with the cooperative, which offered and managed the savings products.
BNI understands that resolving this matter will take time and shares the concerns of the affected community.
In terms of customer protection, BNI ensures that all customer funds remain secure and that banking services operate normally in accordance with regulatory requirements.
BNI also urges the public to always verify the legitimacy of any financial product through the bank’s official channels or the relevant authorities before investing their funds.
“We fully respect the ongoing legal process and are committed to resolving this case in accordance with the applicable legal rulings,” Okki concluded.