LinkAja Starts Trial for Jabodetabek KRL Ticket Payments

LinkAja is starting a trial as a non-cash payment method for KRL tickets as of today (1/10). For the time being, the trial has only been carried out at 200 gates spread over 80 stations in Jabodetabek.

This trial was also attended by the Minister of SOEs Rini Soemarno, Telkom President Director Ririek Adriansyah, KAI President Director Edi Sukmoro, and LinkAja President Director Danu Wicaksana. They tried firsthand the experience of using LinkAja from Juanda Station to Jakarta Kota Station.

Rini emphasized her commitment to strengthening the synergy between state-owned companies. In the future there will be gimmick prepared by SOEs to support this innovation. "As of today, the trial starts, hopefully it can be effective next week. Now it is only available at 200 gates with a special link to LinkAja at 80 stations," he explained.

He added in the future LinkAja will expand its presence in various modes of rail transportation, including the Cibubur-Cawang LRT, which is scheduled to start testing. "For now, it's just KRL. Hopefully later all trains will be able to [use LinkAja], for sure the LRT for Cibubur-Cawang can start testing when it starts running."

Danu continued, while testing, his party is also waiting for approval from Bank Indonesia as the regulator. Because this is a relatively new payment method applied to KRL. Gate KRL tickets now not only accept payments with physical bank e-money cards, but also digital payments.

LinkAja develops KRL tickets for each user but only valid for 15-30 seconds. The technical language is called encrypted ID, not QR. "If this QR can be paid at offline outlets, but this ticket is only valid for a short time, we are afraid of beingscreenshot Then pass it on to other people."

This trial is also intended to determine the resilience of the LinkAja system when it is tested in bulk. His team will ask the KRL for help on how to implement it during the trial and what feedback which must be corrected. It takes an educational process so that people get used to using it.

To use LinkAja, users simply open the application, shake the smartphone screen briefly to display the ticket or select the Pay menu on the main page, then select My QR. After that, approach the ticket at a minimum distance of 1 cm to the sensor machine at the KRL gate to make it easier to read.

Just like using a physical e-money card, LinkAja requires users to have a minimum balance of IDR 13 thousand. This figure is a rough calculation for the furthest passenger distance. "We need advice from friends of KCI [Indonesian Commuter Train] to see the habits of passengers."

SOE synergy is strengthened

On a separate occasion, yesterday Danu was present at the signing of a memorandum of understanding with Pegadaian. Now Pegadaian outlets can accept cash deposits for those who want to increase Link Aja balance and withdraw funds at 4147 Pegadaian outlets throughout Indonesia.

Danu explained that this synergy is expected to consistently educate the Indonesian people to change the habit of using cash to non-cash, as well as optimizing outreach to the entire community to provide efficient financial services.

"We hope point of service LinkAja, which reaches more than 100 thousand points throughout Indonesia, can make it easier for non-cash transactions."

Every transaction cash in and cash out at the Pegadaian, an administration fee of IDR 1.500 will be charged for cash in and IDR 5 thousand for cash out.

Pegadaian is one of eight SOEs that are interested in becoming a shareholder in LinkAja. There are also Garuda Indonesia, Angkasa Pura I and II, Pension Savings and Insurance (Taspen), Jasa Marga, KAI, and Perum Damri.

Currently, LinkAja shares are held by Telkomsel (25%), BRI, BNI, and Mandiri (20% each), BTN (7%), Pertamina (7%), and Jiwasraya (1%).

Later they will enter through the issuance of new shares (rights issue) that LinkAja does. There are no details on when this plan will be carried out and how the scheme for changing its share ownership will be.

Danu said that what was sought from the entry of this BUMN was not just fresh funds, but synergy for the penetration of LinkAja's products which would be more diverse. "Because before this, it could not be penetrated. But because they (other SOEs) are shareholders, so it is open," as quoted from Dataword.

Products SOEs that use LinkAja are purchasing long-distance train tickets (KAI Access), train restaurants (Reska), Palembang LRT, Citilink and Garuda Indonesia airline tickets, top up e-money cards for BNI, Mandiri, BRI, and paying bills or buying policies. Jiwasraya insurance.