Data update snags cloud DTSEN’s sole use in subsidy targeting
Analysts suggested that the government complement the system with other data sources to better assess people’s financial capacity.
The government's new social registry system, called the Single National Social and Economic Data (DTSEN), has been facing challenges in accurately determining individuals' eligibility for fuel subsidies. Analysts have called for the integration of additional data sources to improve the system's effectiveness, acknowledging that the existing updates may not be precise enough.
DEN member Arief Anshory Yusuf noted that the DTSEN's 2022 data collection was outdated and insufficient to base social policies on. With people's socio-economic conditions changing rapidly, the system's four-year lag in information could lead to inaccurate classifications of deserving and undeserving subsidy recipients. The system, launched in February 2023, drew criticism when the government proposed restricting subsidized fuel purchases for Indonesia's wealthiest 20% of the population.
While policymakers aim to make subsidies more targeted, the fear of misclassification has sparked concerns among citizens who feel wrongly placed in the top deciles.
Written by urgent.news from The Jakarta Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
