TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Executive Director of the Bank Indonesia (BI) Money Management Department Marlison Hakim said the trend of counterfeit money circulation is declining. Based on BI records, the ratio of counterfeit money in 2024 was recorded at four pieces per million (PPM), or four pieces in every one million money in circulation.

According to Marlison, the decline occurred in line with the increasing quality of money or money materials, as well as printing technology and security elements that are increasingly modern and up-to-date. "In addition, there is massive national rupiah CBP (love, pride, understanding) literacy and regular coordination with all elements of Botasupal (Coordinating Body for Counterfeit Rupiah Eradication)," he said in a written statement received by Tempo, Wednesday, December 25, 2024.

This year's counterfeit money ratio is four pieces per 1 million money in circulation (4 PPM). According to Marlison, this figure continues to fall. In 2022 and 2023, the ratio of counterfeit notes amounted to five pieces in one million dollars in circulation (5 PPM). The previous year, the ratio of counterfeit money in circulation was 7 PPM, and 2020 was 9 PPM.

Marlison said BI is working to strengthen the quality of the rupiah as part of the prevention strategy for counterfeit money. This is done by making the design of the rupiah more recognizable and making it difficult to counterfeit. These efforts are reflected in various awards for the rupiah note.

In November 2024, the IDR 50,000 TE 2022 denomination paper rupiah note was ranked 2nd worldwide for the most secure denomination and the most difficult to counterfeit. The World's Most Secure Currencies award was obtained because the denomination is said to have 17 advanced security elements, according to Batch Brokers.

In addition, the 2022 rupiah emission year (TE) is the best new banknote series at the 2023 IACA Currency Awards. "This award is an international recognition of the excellence of the security features and design of the rupiah bill," said Marlison.

The central bank also routinely socializes the authenticity of rupiah bills. He urged the public to ensure the authenticity of paper currency through the 3D method (Seen, Felt, Looked at). As a repressive effort, Bank Indonesia encourages imposing higher sanctions on perpetrators of counterfeit money crimes.

BI also responded to the disclosure of counterfeit money cases in Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi. Previously, the police uncovered a syndicate of counterfeit money printers in the Library Building of the State Islamic University (UIN) Alauddin Makassar, Gowa Regency. Based on Bank Indonesia's observations, during the disclosure of evidence by the Gowa Police, it was identified that the evidence was counterfeit money of very low quality.

The counterfeit rupiahs found from the syndicate in Gowa are very easy to identify with the naked eye through the 3D method.  For example, the print is blurry. The watermark is clearly visible without being viewed. The recto verso is not precise, the security thread is printed normally, and the print does not feel rough. "It can be said that counterfeit money is of very low quality, as found in previous cases of counterfeit money. The printing machine used is an offset printing machine for general printing and is not classified as a special money printing machine."

ILONA ESTHERINA | AISHA SHAIDRA

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