BPS Assures 2026 Economic Census Not for Tax Data Collection

The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) of Central Bangka Regency, Bangka Belitung Islands Province, has stressed that the 2026 Economic Census is not a data collection exercise for tax purposes, but rather a means to map the aggregate social and economic conditions of the community. The public has been asked not to worry about their personal data. “We want the public to understand that this activity is not for recording taxpayers,” said BPS Head I Ketut Martana in Koba, Central Bangka, on Sunday. He added that census officers are equipped with official identification when visiting homes so that residents understand the purpose of the data collection. The 2026 Economic Census is part of the agency’s effort to update validated economic data, as the socio-economic conditions of the community are dynamic and can change over time. “The conditions of the well-off and the less well-off can change according to the current economic situation, so the data must be continuously updated,” he said. According to him, the census data is public data presented in aggregate form, while individual data remains confidential and is not published. “If there is an intervention programme from a government institution, the results will be handed over directly to the relevant institution,” he said. Ketut also introduced the ‘Desa Cinta Statistik’ (Statistics-Loving Village) programme, which aims to improve statistical literacy at the village level while encouraging village governments to optimally manage and utilise data as a basis for development planning. He expressed hope that the synergy between BPS and the Central Bangka Regency Government would grow stronger in organising statistics, thereby supporting more effective, transparent, and data-based regional development.