Recently, a request from a netizen to Bank Indonesia to print banknotes featuring President Joko Widodo’s face has attracted public attention. The request for banknotes with Jokowi’s image went viral after being shared on social media by the X account @/paipiapaipia.
“Please print money with JOKOWI’s picture,” wrote the netizen, which was re-uploaded by the Instagram account @/ganti_bupati_.
This has sparked discussions because several denominations of the Rupiah in Indonesia do feature the faces of important figures, such as Soekarno and Mohammad Hatta on the Rp100 thousand note. However, is it possible for Jokowi’s face to be printed on the Rupiah?
Legal Regulations Limit the Use of Figures’ Images on Rupiah Banknotes
In response to the request, Bank Indonesia provided an explanation affirming that printing Jokowi’s face on banknotes is not possible under the current law.
“According to Article 6 of the Currency Law, the characteristics of the Rupiah do not include images of living people,” wrote Bank Indonesia in the comments section of the post.
This rule applies to preserve the historical value and honor of the figures depicted on the banknotes. Usually, the Rupiah currency features images of National Heroes or public figures who have passed away, as determined by a Presidential Decree.
The Process of Determining Images on the Rupiah Banknotes
Bank Indonesia explains that the use of images of figures on banknotes is carried out through strict procedures, including:
Heir Approval: The image of a National Hero or certain figures must receive approval from their heirs.
Presidential Decision: The image is then established by the President through an official decree.
“The use of the image of a National Hero is obtained by the Government from the responsible official institution and receives approval from the heirs,” added Bank Indonesia.
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