BANJARMASIN – The adjustment to the QRIS Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) aims to improve services to QRIS merchants and users. This message was conveyed by the Head of Representative of Bank Indonesia (BI) for South Kalimantan Province (Kalsel), Wahyu Pratomo, during the Discussion with Media (BBM) event, in Hall 2 of Lambung Mangkurat University, Banjarmasin, Tuesday (25/07).
Wahyu added, since the initial launch in 2019, BI has imposed a QRIS MDR of 0.7%. As of April 2020, BI exempted the micro business trader group (UMI) from imposing the MDR, as a response to the sluggish economic conditions due to the pandemic.
“Starting July 1, 2023, MDR QRIS will again be charged for UMI at a rate of 0.3%,” said Wahyu. The MDR rate, according to Wahyu, is lower than the MDR rate at the start of the launch of QRIS.
The MDR QRIS rate charged to UMI is also lower than other groups, namely small businesses (UKE), medium businesses (UME), and large businesses (UBE) of 0.7%; as well as Public Fuel Filling Stations (SPBU), Public Service Agencies (BLU), and Public Services Obligation (PSO) of 0.4%.
In addition, said Wahyu, not all QRIS MDR rates are adjusted. QRIS Merchants in the Government to People (G2P) category such as social assistance, People to Government (P2G) such as paying taxes, passports, and non-profit social donations are still subject to an MDR rate of 0%, alias nil.
Wahyu continued, QRIS MDR will be allocated to the payment service provider industry so that QRIS services to the public can be better.
“Many don’t know, behind one QRIS transaction, there are many payment service providers involved. Starting from issuers, acquirers, switching agencies, service agencies, to standard institutions,” added Wahyu.
Based on BI data, nationally, as of May 2023, there were 35.8 million QRIS users, 26.1 million QRIS merchants. As many as 95.87% of QRIS merchants are MSME players. In the past year, the volume and nominal value of QRIS transactions have also grown significantly, by 152% and 175% respectively. In South Kalimantan alone, there are already 454,986 QRIS users.
To encourage digital economy and finance, Wahyu explained, in the near future BI South Kalimantan will hold the 2023 Antasari Festival themed “Banua Go Digital”, during August-October 2023. The series of events consist of offline seminars on non-cash transactions, consumer protection webinars, and others.
Wahyu also mentioned that there will be two other activities that will be held by BI South Kalimantan in the near future. The two activities are the Export-oriented MSME Acceleration Program (Pamor Borneo) in August 2023, and an international green economy seminar in September 2023.
Continuing the good achievements of the previous year, Borneo Prestige 2023 consists of various series. Starting from an exhibition of superior MSME products throughout Kalimantan, business matching sales and financing with aggregators and financial institutions, business counseling, workshops and talk shows on MSME development, travel marts that also connect tourism players.
“Besides that, there are also one-on-one meetings with business people and investors, dissemination of the Kalimantan Investment Project Ready to Offer (IPRO), and enlivened by Kalimantan’s unique art and cultural performances,” Wahyu explained.
To encourage the development of a green economy, an international green economy seminar entitled “Advancing Green Initiatives for the Sustainable Kalimantan Through Action and Collaboration” will also be held.
According to Wahyu, structural reforms are needed towards “The New Kalimantan”, namely New Kalimantan which does not only rely on the extractive sector but also relies on new sources of economic growth, as well as environmentally sound and sustainable.
This time, the Discussion with Media is part of the closing series of Dissemination of Provincial Economic Reports which are routinely held by BI South Kalimantan. The dissemination presented the Chancellor of Lambung Mangkurat University, Prof. Dr. Ahmad and Plt. Assistant for Economic Affairs and Development of Regional Secretariat of South Kalimantan Province Hj. Suparmi.
In this dissemination, Wahyu saw the importance of downstream in order to improve the economy of South Kalimantan. The prospect of combined inflation for CPI cities in South Kalimantan Province as a whole in 2023 is predicted to be lower than in 2022 and will again be within the target range of 3% ± 1% (yoy), accompanied by BI’s hard work with the Regional Inflation Control Team (TPID) within the framework of the National Food Inflation Control Movement (GNPIP).
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