Bank Indonesia is still considering measures on improving the policy for credit card issuance by banks with the emphasis on a stricter regulation based on the economic capabilities of card holders.

"We`re considering that all (aspects) to make (the policy issuance) comprehensive so that the industry may still grow well and remains prudent," Aribowo, the central bank`s head of Bureau of Payment System Development and Policy, Payment System Accounting Directorate, said here on Tuesday.

Aribowo said that some regulations being considered include those limiting economic capability, number of cards and age of the client. "All these are being studied more deeply to make them comprehensive," he said.

Banking observer Mirza Adityaswara said the principle of prudent credits are basically those provided in accordance with the capability of the debtor.

"So, people with no sufficient income are therefore not credit-worthy to be given credit cards. But for those with big an income, can even be given up to eight credit cards," he said.

Adityaswara said the most important thing is how a bank can get the data on the candidate debtor and data on their history apparent from the credit bureau.

A bank should also adhere to the limitation rule on a client`s income, he said, and every credit card issuers has sufficient data.

The issuance of credit cards in Indonesia was previously easy but produced problems when some card holders could not respect their obligation of paying their debts.

The problem had reached a peak with the case of Irzen Octa, a Citibank card holder, who was killed near the bank`s main office in Jakarta last month after discussing his debts in the building with three outsourced staffers hired by Citibank.

It has become common knowledge in Indonesia that many banks hire thugs to force debtors to repay their debts. (*)