Maluku develops inclusive financial ecosystem for equitable economy

The Maluku Provincial Government is making the development of an inclusive financial ecosystem a top priority for 2026. This initiative aims to broaden access to financing, enhance financial literacy, and ultimately strengthen the economy for its residents, with a particular focus on coastal and island communities.

Maluku's Deputy Governor, Abdullah Vanath, affirmed the program's status as a priority agenda for the Regional Financial Access Acceleration Team (TPAKD). He expressed a commitment to expanding financial access through collaboration with entities like OJK, Bank Indonesia, financial service institutions, and other stakeholders to ensure the benefits of economic development are distributed equitably.

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Going forward, we are committed to expanding community financial access through collaboration with OJK, Bank Indonesia, financial service institutions, and all stakeholders so that the benefits of economic development can be felt evenly.

One key innovation planned is the creation of an inclusive financial ecosystem within the Merah Putih Fishermen Village. This project, a collaboration between TPAKD, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, and relevant financial institutions, seeks to improve financial literacy and inclusion while empowering the local fishing community by providing easier access to financing and financial services.

Furthermore, the provincial government is encouraging regencies and cities to replicate subsidized financing programs to combat predatory lending practices. Vanath noted the success of such a scheme in Central Maluku Regency and plans to expand it to Tual City. He highlighted that expanding financial access is crucial for regional economic growth, supporting key sectors like agriculture, plantations, forestry, and fisheries. In 2025, Maluku's KUR program exceeded its target, disbursing Rp1.02 trillion to 21,840 micro, small, and medium-sized enterprise debtors, demonstrating progress in providing productive financing and steering people away from exploitative lenders.

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We will also continue to encourage more credit distribution to micro and super-micro business actors so that more people gain access to productive financing and avoid usury practices.