Five Facts About BRI, the Biggest Bank in Indonesia

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- On December 16 2023, BRI entered its 128th year. Founded in 1895 with the name De Poerwokertosche Hulp en Spaarbank der Inlandsche Hoofden or 'Bank for Aid and Savings of the Purwokerto Gentiles' in Purwokerto, Central Java, BRI has made various unique, outstanding achievements and records in the national banking industry.

Here are some unique and interesting facts about BRI you need to know.

Baca Juga

1. Starting from mosque treasury

This bank, which was founded by Raden Bei Aria Wirjaatmadja, came from the idea of alleviating native economic difficulties by utilizing mosque cash. At that time, the mosque administrators saw that there was a social gap between natives and the Dutch. Existing mosque cash was collected to be lent to the community on a rolling basis. Then after being paid it was then lent again to someone else. Finally this become a bank. The mosque's cash was intended for people in need, whether they were entrepreneurs or people who were in difficulties.

2. Used to be bank for farmers and fishermen

After Indonesia's independence, BRI was acquired by the government through Government Regulation No. 1 of 1946. Even though it had been on hiatus due to the political situation in the war to defend independence. BRI revived after Perjanjian Renville in 1949 by changing its name to Bank Rakyat Indonesia Serikat. At that time, through Perpu No. 41 of 1960, the Farmers and Fishermen's Cooperative Bank (BKTN) was formed, which was an amalgamation of BRI, the Farmer's Bank and the Nederlandsche Maatschappij (NHM). Then, based on Presidential Decree (Penpres) No. 9 of 1965, BKTN was integrated into Bank Indonesia under the name Bank Indonesia for Farmers and Fishermen's Cooperative Affairs.

3. Floating offices on boats of Bahtera Seva

The existence of four BRI Teras Kapal (floating office on boats) is very important for the economy in several archipelagic regions in Indonesia. Not only provided benefits to island communities, Teras BRI Kapal also helps the Indonesian government's mission to increase financial inclusion. Because, the existence of this floating bank allows BRI to provide banking services to people in frontier, outermost, and underdeveloped areas (Wilayah 3T).

Bahtera Seva I serves the community in the Seribu Islands; Teras BRI Kapal Bahtera Seva II serves the Labuan Bajo area and the surrounding small islands, such as Longos Island, Boleng Island, Seraya Besar Island and Rinca Island. There is also Bahtera Seva III, which serves people in the Halmahera region. Meanwhile, Bahtera Seva IV serves the community in the Anambas Islands region.

4. Owns and operates BRISat

BRI was the first and only bank in the world that owns and is able to operate its own satellite. BRIsat, which was launched on June 18, 2016 in French Guiana, has now served more than tens of thousands of BRI office points throughout Indonesia. The process of making BRIsat took 25 months. Satellite assembly was carried out by Space Systems/Loral in Palo Alto, California. Meanwhile, the launch vehicle used an Arianespace 5 made in France.

5. The Largest Public Company in Indonesia

After 128 years of existence, BRI was able to continue to grow and become the largest public company in Indonesia. In 2023, Forbes Global 2000 named BRI the World's Largest Company in Indonesia. BRI was ranked #1 in Indonesia and #307 in the world, this ranking has increased from #349 last year.

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