Govt Assures Biometric Data for SIM Registration Stored by Dukcapil, Not Mobile Operators
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi) has ensured that SIM card registration data using biometric verification methods for customers is not stored by mobile operators (opsel), but is instead held by the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) under the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Deny Suwardany, Director of Digital Ecosystem Control at Kemkomdigi, guaranteed the security of telecommunications service customer data ahead of the implementation of new SIM card registration using biometric verification methods, starting 1 July 2026.
“Mobile operators do not store customers’ facial photos. What they do is encrypt the facial photo and then perform validation with Dukcapil,” said Deny during a discussion in South Jakarta on Tuesday.
He explained that the validation of customer data is conducted by Dukcapil. Subsequently, mobile operators receive a notification stating whether the facial scan results match the data recorded in the Dukcapil database.
Deny added that the facial biometric data recorded in Dukcapil is stored when citizens create their electronic Identity Card (e-KTP).
“Therefore, it is incorrect to claim that mobile operators store facial photos or retain facial features,” he emphasised.
Echoing Deny’s sentiments, Marwan O. Baaserv, Executive Director of the Indonesian Mobile Telecommunications Association (ATSI), ensured that mobile operators guarantee the security of customer data.
He explained that the implementation of biometric registration has adopted international security standards, specifically ISO 27001 and ISO 27701. Furthermore, mobile operators continue to ensure that their customer data security systems are protected against leaks.
It is noted that the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi) has emphasised that all registrations for the purchase of prepaid SIM cards by the Indonesian public starting 1 July 2026 will rely solely on biometric verification methods and will no longer use the National Identification Number (NIK).
Edwin Abdullah, Director General of Ecosystem at Kemkomdigi, stated that this step was taken as a way for the government to protect the public from the practice of registering mobile numbers using other people’s identities, which is frequently carried out by cybercriminals.
“Starting 1 July, new customer registration must use biometrics. Therefore, we request all operators to comply with this regulation and immediately cease all activations that still use NIK and Family Card (No. KK) validation without biometric verification,” said Edwin.