Census 2000 to reveal comprehensive data

Census 2000 to reveal comprehensive data

JAKARTA (JP): Officials have pledged to conduct thorough data
recording, including in strife-torn areas across the country, for
the national population census which begins on June 1.

The officials expressed their determination to cover all the
strife-torn areas, such as Maluku and Aceh province, along with
the refugees areas in the country.

Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) chief Sugito Suwito said
enumerators had been given special preparations for the task.

"Officials and authorities from those areas, such as Aceh and
Maluku, have stated their readiness to complete the census,"
Sugito said.

He said officials in Maluku and North Maluku has completed
special training and that Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri
had also urged BPS to go ahead with the plan.

"Although there will be several problems there due to the
security conditions, we are still confident that we can compile
the data in those provinces," Sugito added.

The population census, held every 10 years, will compile data
on all Indonesian residents, including expatriates, except for
foreign diplomatic corps and their families, along with
Indonesians living abroad.

Sugito said the coming census would be different from that
held in 1990.

"With the development of information technology, the general
results of the census can be announced by mid-August. The details
of the information will be released gradually," Sugito said,
adding that the bureau had received equipment with the aid of the
Japanese government.

The results of the census will later be available to the
public on the Internet. The data will consist of complete,
detailed data on population distribution, according to age,
residence, marital status, citizenship, education, mortality and
fertility rates, religion, ethnicity and gender.

"We will also provide more comprehensive data on the poor, so
that our data can be used in the distribution of social safety
net programs," he added. Previously, the government used the
National Family Planning Board data for the program.

President Abdurrahman Wahid is expected to officially
announced the results of the census during his annual speech
before the House of Representatives on Aug. 16.

Sugito said that Rp 304.8 billion (US$37.2million) had been
allocated for the census, of which some Rp 160.8 billion was used
for preliminary preparations, including the training of officials
and mapping the locations for the census.

Over 300,000 enumerators will cover 52 million households
across the country.

During the one-month census, enumerators can identified by
official tags and will carry with them a recommendation letter
from local authorities.

Sugito appealed to the people to provide sufficient data to
enumerators.

"The results of the census will be useful for everybody and
not just for government interests," said Sugito, whom President
Abdurrahman Wahid said earlier on Tuesday would be replaced by "a
woman with very strong qualifications." (dja)