BPS Explains Why Low-Income Individuals May Appear in Deciles 6-10

The Director of Methodology and Data Science at the Indonesian Central Statistics Agency (BPS), Setia Pramana, explained that discrepancies between decile classifications and actual community conditions are caused by a lack of recent data updates.

This statement addresses a widely discussed issue involving a rickshaw driver from Kulon Progo, Special Region of Yogyakarta, named Timbul (49), who suddenly appeared in decile 9 after previously being in decile 1. Following a data update, his classification moved to decile 3.

Setia explained that such occurrences happen because data has not yet been updated, leading to inconsistencies. However, once the data was updated, Timbul’s classification returned to reflect his actual economic condition.

“The data was not yet accurate. For instance, regarding the rickshaw driver in Yogyakarta, once the data was checked and updated, it reflected his current actual condition,” Setia told reporters at the STIS Polytechnic of Statistics, Jakarta, on Friday (11/09/2026).

Setia stated that the agency is continuously updating data for social and economic purposes, with the primary focus being the improvement of accuracy regarding poverty data and the list of social assistance recipients.

“I believe it is crucial that data updating remains a priority,” he said.

Setia noted that data updates are vital to capturing the highly dynamic socio-economic conditions of the community, specifically regarding changes in household wealth.

“The situation is dynamic. Our hope is to capture that dynamism. For example, someone who was unable to afford basic needs may become capable, or vice versa. We hope that with up-to-date data, we can accurately capture these changes,” Setia explained.