Semarang Residents Have Difficulty Getting New Denominations of Money Online
New Currency Exchange Queues in Semarang Become a Challenge for Residents
In the midst of an increase in demand for small denomination money ahead of Eid, the people of Semarang City are now facing new challenges in obtaining new money. Even though Bank Indonesia (BI) has provided online money exchange services via the website www.pintar.bi.go.id, long queues and a system that is considered inefficient make it difficult for some residents.
Dewa’s Experience in Accessing Online Systems
One of the residents of Gajahmungkur District, Dewa, tried to access the money exchange service through the site on the first day the service opened. He admitted that he woke up late and only tried to enter the system at around 10.00. To increase his chances, he uses two devices, namely a cellphone and a computer.
However, the experience is not so smooth. He said that the system on the cellphone was too sensitive to network changes. If the application is closed or the internet connection decreases, the page will automatically refresh and return to the waiting area. This makes it difficult to stay in line.
Unlike the computer used, the device has remained in the waiting room since 10.00. Even though the system displayed an estimated waiting time of around 15 minutes, Dewa was finally only able to enter the exchange location selection page at around 14.00. He felt that the changing time estimates made him confused and distrustful of the system.
Difficulty in Obtaining an Exchange Schedule
After successfully entering the system, Dewa chose the exchange location at DBS Bank Jalan Pandanaran Semarang. However, the available schedule is quite far away because exchange slots in Semarang run out on the first day. He received a date for March 11, which was far from his initial expectations.
Dewa also learned from other residents’ stories that the exchange quota in Semarang had run out before the afternoon. In fact, some people can’t find an exchange location at all.
Solutions Taken by Residents
Dewa suggests using a computer with a stable network as the safest way to join the queue. It even uses two monitor screens to keep the queue page open without having to be minimized. This way, he can continue monitoring the process without being distracted.
He plans to exchange IDR 800 thousand in various small denominations for Eid needs. However, he admitted that this process took quite a long time and was tiring.
Other Alternatives Chosen by Andika
Not all citizens are as lucky as God. Andika Setyanto, a resident of North Semarang, tried to join the online money exchange queue, but failed to get a schedule. He admitted that he gave up after spending a long time in the waiting room. As a result, he chose to look for other alternatives, such as looking for small denominations elsewhere or exchanging with people who had small bills.
According to Andika, the long queue system makes it difficult for some residents to get exchange slots. He hopes that BI can make improvements to the system to make it more transparent and efficient.
Issues Raised by the Community
The experiences of these residents show that even though online money exchange services are provided, there are still many obstacles faced by the community. Starting from an unstable system to very long queues, everything is a challenge for residents who want to prepare money for Eid.
