Jakarta (VNA) – The Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry(KADIN) has called for the adoption of the ASEAN Quick Response (QR) Code by allASEAN countries at the ASEAN Business Advisory Council (BAC) meeting.

The transactions carried out via ASEAN QR Code will use local currencies, KADINChaiman Arsjad Rasjid said after chairing the ASEAN-BAC meeting in Magelangdistrict, Central Java of Indonesia, on March 22.

He said that if a transaction is conducted in Indonesia, it will use therupiah. Likewise, if it is conducted in Thailand, it will use the Thai baht,and so on, he explained.

The QR code adoption will also reduce the cost of transactions, thus it can bethe key for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and bigger business playersin ASEAN to collaborate, he said.

The ASEAN QR Code is one of thecomprehensive legacy programs promoted by KADIN as a solution to strengthendigital transformation in ASEAN, which is one of the five ASEAN-BAC priorityissues.

The KADIN leader said that Indonesia is ready to assist other ASEAN membercountries in implementing the QR Code.

Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam have used thecross-border QR Code since 2022. Recently, Cambodia and the Philippines arealso starting to use the QR Code.

Indonesian Deputy Minister of Trade JerrySambuaga said that one of the seven priority agendas raised at the 2023 ASEANEconomic Ministers’ (AEM) Retreat that took place in Indonesia on March 20–22,was the establishment of a Leader's Statement on Developing the ASEAN DigitalEconomy Framework (DEFA).

He added that although the use of the QR Code is very simple, it is verystrategic because it can further strengthen the value of money./.