Digitalisation of Social Protection Programme Aims to Ensure Efficient Aid Distribution

The government has stated that the digitalisation of the Social Protection Programme (Perlinsos) is a solution to ensure social assistance (bansos) can be received efficiently by those in need. Fifi Aleyda Yahya, Director General of Public Communication and Media at the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs (Kemkomdigi), said the Perlinsos digitalisation system is a way to ensure that citizens entitled to aid are not missed during data collection. “Digitalisation of Perlinsos is here to help the state better recognise the conditions of its citizens so that assistance can be provided on target to those who truly need it,” Fifi stated in Jakarta on Friday. Therefore, citizens who are entitled to government assistance are advised to register for Perlinsos immediately. To ensure the success of this digital data integration, the government is conducting direct outreach to communities, such as the event held at the Pakis Subdistrict Hall in Sawahan District, Surabaya. On Friday morning, hundreds of residents enthusiastically participated in the socialisation and registration for Perlinsos digitalisation. They tried out the Perlinsos Portal, which allows citizens to register themselves to be recorded in the national social protection system and not miss out on their entitlements. Given that Perlinsos digitalisation involves personal data, Fifi urged the public to be vigilant against fraud schemes misusing the name of social assistance. Citizens are asked to only access Perlinsos digitalisation registration services from official parties and to safeguard their data by not providing personal information, OTP codes, or passwords to unknown individuals. They are also advised not to trust anyone requesting payment in exchange for expediting the disbursement of social assistance. Meanwhile, Robben Rico, Secretary General of the Ministry of Social Affairs, said the digitalisation of Perlinsos is one of the government’s key agendas in reforming the national social protection system. He revealed that approximately 365,348 residents of Surabaya have not yet been clustered into welfare deciles. This situation needs to be resolved promptly so that various government programmes, including social assistance and empowerment initiatives like Sekolah Rakyat, can reach target groups more accurately. Therefore, socialisation activities are being held to ensure the digitalisation programme runs optimally. “More accurate data will make government interventions more precise. That is why cooperation between the central government, local governments, facilitators, and the community is needed to ensure every citizen is properly mapped,” Robben said. Surabaya is one of 42 pilot areas for the implementation of the Perlinsos Digitalisation Programme, alongside 41 other regencies and cities across Indonesia. Prior to the trial, the Surabaya City Government carried out various preparatory stages, from socialisation to regional apparatuses to training for Perlinsos agents. The activation rate of the Digital Population Identity (IKD) among Surabaya residents has reached 99.67 percent, while IKD activation for digital Perlinsos agents has reached 100 percent. Through the Perlinsos Digitalisation Programme, the government hopes the citizen data collection process will become more accurate, transparent, and inclusive, so that social assistance and various welfare programmes can reach those truly in need.