21/02/2024. MSMEs and successful entrepreneurs are the backbone and driving force behind the country's economic growth. Clearly, MSMEs as a productive sector can support the Indonesian economy even during the Covid-19 pandemic a few years back.
This came to light by Royke Tumilaar, President Director of PT Bank Negara Indonesia (Persero) Tbk or BNI, during a Studium Generale or Public Lecture at the Bandung Institute of Technology on Wednesday (21/2/2024).
According to Royke, the younger generation must have an entrepreneurial spirit because the level of entrepreneurship in Indonesia is still low when compared to neighboring countries. Indonesia's entrepreneurship ratio in ASEAN is only recorded at 3.47%, far below neighboring Singapore which has reached 8.76%.
Moreover, the availability of employment is not proportional to the supply of labor in the market, is self-actualization and can be an agent of development.
For this reason, it is important for the younger generation, particularly millennials, to begin having entrepreneurial thoughts and interests in contributing to the development of the country.
“It indicates that we have potential. Let's all millennials and gen Z have the spirit of entrepreneurship to make Indonesia's economic growth better and more competitive, have the spirit to open jobs rather than to hunt for jobs,” Royke said.
In addition, Royke emphasized that entrepreneurship, especially MSMEs, is the motor of national economic growth. MSMEs contribute 61% or IDR 9,580 trillion to the national GDP, out of a total 65.5 million MSMEs in Indonesia.
The contribution of MSMEs to employment is likewise quite substantial, reaching 96.9% or absorbing 135.5 million workers, of which 32.44% entered the Digital Ecosystem, while the contribution of MSMEs to national exports was recorded as 15.7%.
“Opportunities for Millennials and Gen Z to become entrepreneurs are abundant. Of course, not only to use the potential of the domestic market, but also foreign markets which are now increasingly integrated,” he remarked.
Following the public lecture, BNI President Director, Mr. Royke Tumilaar, presented a symbolic CSR for the construction of the ITB Integrated Service Unit (ULT) to the Rector of ITB, Prof. Reini D Wirahadikusumah, M.Sc., Ph.D.
The CSR assistance for the construction of ULT ITB is a tangible form of BNI's concern for the world of education, so that the existence of this ULT can help ITB in improving in the quality of educational information services and realizing digitization in the ITB campus environment.
On the same occasion, Royke also officially opened the Thematic Banking Café outlet located inside ITB Ganesha campus.
With the presence of the Thematic Outlet, it is hoped that it will be able to provide increasingly high-quality services and effectively realize transaction digitalization for both, Students (Millennial or Gen Z Customers), Lecturers, Employees, ITB MSME fostered partners and the entire ITB academic community.
The series of public lecture, handover of CSR ULT ITB and the opening of the thematic outlet were also attended by BNI Institutional Banking Director Muhammad Iqbal, BNI Network and Services Director Ronny Venir along with BNI management and leaders in ITB.
BNI Sets Up Student Loan
On that occasion, Royke also expressed that the company is currently setting up a student loan program that is suitable for Indonesian students. In his opinion, students in Indonesia are now more familiar with various financial services products ranging from savings, investment, to financing.
Additionally, Indonesian students also have the ability to manage their finances well in order to achieve various career development targets.
As a Campus Bank, Royke said, BNI's education financing products will have an accommodating financing rate with a tenor of 3 to 5 years.
The 5 campuses that will become pilot projects are Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Gadjah Mada University (UGM), University of Indonesia (UI), Bogor Agricultural University (IPB), and Airlangga University (Unair).
“We hope this product can be a solution to the growing need for education financing. Hopefully more and more students will understand banking products and can make the best use of them,” he said.
Royke continued in terms of financial solutions for students, especially ITB, currently BNI has prepared a 0% installment program facility for 3, 6 and 12 months along with cashback for the BNI-ITB Affinity Credit Card.
Aside from that, there is also a 0% installment program with a tenor of 3 and 6 months for other types of BNI Credit Cards that will be running in the near future.
“Hopefully, this program can be an alternative to help alleviate students and parents in terms of paying UKT or SPP,” he added.