BPS Interviews Sri Sultan for 2026 Economic Census

The Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta (DIY), Sri Sultan HB X, received officers from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) and became a respondent in the 2026 Economic Census (SE2026). Acting Head of BPS DIY, Endang Tri Wahyuningsih, appreciated Sri Sultan’s openness in providing data. According to Endang, Sri Sultan places great importance on DIY’s leading sectors—such as education, tourism, services, the creative economy, and MSMEs—so they can be mapped precisely through this census. “Earlier, Sri Sultan advised all residents of DIY to welcome census officers warmly and provide truthful data, as the confidentiality of that data is guaranteed,” Endang stated. Addressing concerns that often arise among the public, Endang affirmed that all respondent information is protected by Law Number 16 of 1997 on Statistics. The data collected is used purely for development planning and statistical purposes, not for taxation or law enforcement. Since commencing on 15 June, the SE2026 data collection progress in DIY has reached approximately 9 percent. A total of 4,082 census officers have been deployed across all districts and cities until 31 August 2026. Recognising the challenge of uneven information dissemination, BPS DIY is continuously strengthening socialisation efforts by engaging local governments down to neighbourhood heads, hamlet chiefs, and village officials. The involvement of Sri Sultan as a central figure is expected to build public trust and dispel doubts among business actors. To anticipate vulnerabilities in the field and cyberspace, BPS is implementing two main preventive measures: every officer must wear official attributes including a vest and identification badge, and carry an assignment letter from BPS; and data collection is conducted using digital devices directly integrated with the central server, equipped with an early anomaly detection system to ensure respondent data security. The 2026 Economic Census is a massive decennial agenda that will capture macroeconomic transformation, including the rapid development of the digital economy. Through the exemplary conduct demonstrated from within the Palace, the public and business actors in DIY are urged to welcome census officers with open arms, in order to produce more precise, adaptive, and targeted future policies. Sri Sultan’s active participation is not merely the fulfilment of a citizen’s obligation, but a powerful symbol of the DIY Regional Government’s support for providing quality economic data. Accurate data is considered a crucial foundation for formulating the direction of regional and national development policies for the next decade. During the warm data collection process, Sri Sultan was accompanied by his second daughter, GKR Condrokirono. The interview was conducted by census officers according to BPS methodology, witnessed directly by Acting Head of BPS DIY, Endang Tri Wahyuningsih, and Head of BPS Yogyakarta City, Joko Prayitno.