DPR member says Komdigi biometric policy strengthens digital security

DPR Commission I member Yudha Novanza Utama stated that the Ministry of Communications and Digital’s (Komdigi) mandatory biometric registration for mobile users is a concrete step to strengthen national digital security. ‘This Komdigi initiative deserves appreciation as it demonstrates the government’s commitment to strengthening public protection in the digital space. Technological advancements must be accompanied by increasingly robust identity security systems,’ Yudha said in Jakarta on Monday. He explained that the policy demonstrates the government’s seriousness in building a safer, more trustworthy, and adaptable digital ecosystem in response to evolving technology and increasingly complex digital crime patterns. According to him, the implementation of biometric registration via facial verification can help minimise the use of fake identities, misuse of mobile numbers, and various forms of digital crime such as online fraud, phishing, spam calls, and OTP misuse. Phishing (derived from the word ‘fishing’) is a digital scam technique designed to lure and deceive victims into voluntarily providing sensitive data, such as passwords, PINs, or OTP codes. Furthermore, he noted that many digital crime cases have exploited weaknesses in identity validation. He stated that cyber security threats are now increasingly tangible and directly affecting the public. Therefore, he believes the country must continue strengthening digital security systems to protect citizens from various forms of technology misuse. ‘With such verification system enhancements, Indonesia’s digital space is expected to become safer and identity misuse reduced,’ he said. Public trust is a crucial factor in the success of the national digital transformation. ‘The government must ensure data governance is secure, accountable, and transparent so that citizens trust the implemented systems,’ he added. Previously, the Ministry of Communications and Digital (Komdigi) officially announced that facial biometric registration for SIM cards in Indonesia will be mandatory from 1 July 2026. Digital Ecosystem Director General Edwin Hidayat Abdullah stated the decision was made after a successful five-month trial and positive public response.