Antara, Jakarta – The Indonesian government will form an interagency team to evaluate how residents are classified into income deciles, following concerns over inaccuracies in data used to determine access to social and education assistance.
Deputy State Secretary Minister Bambang Eko Suhariyanto said the team would involve the Central Statistics Agency (BPS), the National Development Planning Agency (Bappenas), and other relevant institutions.
"An interagency team will certainly be formed, involving BPS, Bappenas and others," Bambang told reporters at the Parliament complex in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday, August 31, 2026.
He said the government was still reviewing the basis used to assign residents to each income decile. "This is currently being evaluated," Bambang said.
Government reviews income decile data
Asked whether errors had occurred in the data, Bambang said the government had yet to determine the cause.
"We still do not know what the basis is and so on. What is clear is that this is being evaluated by BPS," he said.
Bambang expressed hope that the review would lead to improvements in the income decile classification system.
"Hopefully, there will be improvements," he said.
The income decile system divides Indonesia's population into 10 groups based on income levels. Decile 1 represents the lowest-income group, while Decile 10 represents the highest.
Income decile change affects student's aid access
The planned evaluation follows concerns over cases in which residents' income decile classifications changed significantly, affecting their access to government assistance.
One case involved Timbul, a pedicab driver in Malioboro, Yogyakarta, whose family was initially classified in Decile 1 but was later listed in Decile 9.
The change affected his son, Luki Arya Wijaya, who had been admitted to the Mechanical Engineering program at Yogyakarta State University (UNY).
After his family's classification changed, Luki faced difficulties obtaining tuition assistance and accessing the Indonesia Smart College Card (KIP-K), a government program that provides financial support for students from lower-income families. His family was classified as financially capable under the updated data.
BPS updates Timbul's income decile classification
BPS later updated Timbul's income decile classification after finding that his data did not reflect his current circumstances.
His classification was subsequently changed to Decile 3, after previously being recorded as moving from Decile 1 to Decile 9.
BPS chief Amalia Adininggar Widyasanti said on Friday, August 28, that the update was carried out to support Luki's application for KIP-K assistance.
"Timbul's case is part of the data-updating mechanism to support his child's KIP-K application," Amalia said in an official statement.
She said the mechanism allows an updated income decile classification to be determined in about two weeks, compared with the regular updating cycle.
"After Timbul's data was updated and processed according to the applicable mechanism, his current classification is Decile 3," Amalia said.
Source: https://en.tempo.co/read/2118630/will-indonesia-review-its-income-decile-data-amid-concern