Along with the use of digital payment systems, the income of musicians who accept e-sawer has increased.
By
Elsa Emiria Leba
·5 minutes read
KOMPAS/FERGANATA INDRA RIATMOKO
Preparation for the music group that will take part in the QRIS stage test at the Vredeburg Fort Museum, Yogyakarta, Tuesday (30/3/2021). With the QRIS code, they can receive appreciation money on a non-cash form.
“The way street musicians do things is that easy now!” That\'s the sentence in the Andivox Instagram account owned by Andi Malewa, the founder of the Street Music Institute, which houses around 400 street musicians aka buskers in several cities. The account explains clearly how to pay street musicians through the GoPay digital payment system.
Simply scan the QR code or quick response code, enter the amount of money you want to pay them, and confirm. Just like when we pay for a cup of cappuccino or a slice of sweet cake.
Andi Malewa said that the Street Music Institute (IMJ) began to think about using an electronic payment system in 2019. The idea came up because many local administrations had prohibited people from giving money to street musicians.
"Most people do think street musicians are beggars. So, we are trying to accept sawer [payments] in non-cash form,” said Andi, on Monday (19/4/2021), in Depok, West Java.
In the same year, Andi continued, the IMJ collaborated with GoPay. About 400 IMJ members in Jakarta, Semarang, Bandung and Yogyakarta have received QR codes from GoPay, so that they can receive the sawer electronically. One of them is the Nolkmkustik music group, which, before the pandemic, usually performed in the Zero-Kilometer area on Jl. Malioboro, Yogyakarta.
Most people do think street musicians are beggars. So, we are trying to accept sawer [payments] in non-cash form.
JAMALUDIN FOR KOMPAS
The founder of the Street Music Institute (IMJ), Andi Malewa . Photo received on Tuesday (31/3/2020).
Before performing, they printed large QR code images to be placed at five points near where they were singing. The audience only needed to scan the QR code and pay the sawer electronically.
Nolkmkustik also broadcasts its performance live via Instagram or YouTube. They put the QR code in the corner of the screen or in the comments column or on their profile. In addition, they put an account number. "The money can keep coming," said vocalist of Nolkmkustik, Yudhistira alias Didit, Thursday (22/4).
The use of QR codes has grown in various sectors since Bank Indonesia (BI) launched the Quick Response Code Indonesian Standard (QRIS)-based electronic payment system on 1 January 2020. This QRIS combines QR codes with various electronic payment services including OVO, GoPay, LinkAja and DANA, not to mention mobile banking.
There are nine community groups targeted by BI to implement QRIS in order to strengthen the supply and demand sides of payments. These groups include local administrations, local eateries and craftspeople, food stalls as well as tourism players, including artists.
As of 19 March 2021, the number of merchants that have used QRIS has reached 6.55 million players. By the end of this year, BI aims to reach as many as 12 million merchants. The number of merchants is equivalent to a transaction value of around Rp 1.11 trillion, up 80 percent compared to the previous year.
"To optimize the digital transformation, BI is partnering with financial institutions. The goal is to boost electronic money and digital banking transactions. This year, BI targets the two digital transactions to grow 32 percent, respectively to Rp 266 trillion and Rp 32,200 trillion," said BI
Governor Perry Warjiyo during the virtual launch of the Regional Digitalization Acceleration and Expansion Team in early April.
FRANSISKUS WISNU W DANY UNTUK KOMPAS
A busker receives payment (sawer) from a truck driver on Jalan Gatot Subroto, Slipi, West Jakarta, Tuesday (24/7/2018). Along with the proliferation of electronic payment platforms, many buskers are now using the Gopay and QRIS platforms to get sawer on a non-cash form.
Income Grows
Along with the use of digital payment systems, the income of musicians who accept e-sawer has increased. Nolkmkustik, a street band that has many fans, can earn Rp 1 million to Rp 1.5 million per day, up from the previous Rp 800,000 per day. "That could be 50 percent cash and 50 percent non-cash," said Didit.
During the pandemic, they still perform trough music streaming services, earning them an income of Rp 1 million to Rp 2 million per day. Various methods have been used to encourage the audience to pay sawer, among others, by mentioning the audience in the comment column, and users can also make requests for songs.
In difficult conditions like today, online street musicians and sawer make the most sense.
Other street musicians, too, are able to collect more sawer thanks to electronic payments. "We have calculated that [electronic payments] can increase the income of [street musicians] by 200 to 300 percent. The audience, if they use cash, will choose the smallest denomination, but if it is cashless, they can pay Rp 5,000 to Rp 20,000, because there is no physical money," said Andi.
This breakthrough also saved street musicians during the Covid-19 pandemic. They can at least sing from home. "In difficult conditions like today, online street musicians and sawer make the most sense," added Andi, who has been a street musician for years.
Since the beginning of 2021, IMJ has collaborated with BI to take advantage of QRIS. As an initial project, on 30 March 2021, as many as 110 street musicians who are members of IMJ in Yogyakarta joined to use QRIS. They are busy registering themselves and taking part in the stage test at the backyard of Fort Vredeburg, Yogyakarta. Currently, they are still waiting for the distribution of the QRIS code.
Andi hopes that the QRIS transactions recorded in the savings account will allow street musicians to access other banking facilities. "Now, there is a sense of pride in using QRIS, because it has got state recognition. All this time, street musicians were underestimated,” he added.
So, welcome to the era of e-sawer street musicians ....
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