Jakarta Legislator Calls for Wide-Ranging Appeals Process for Decile Data Discrepancies

Jakarta (ANTARA) - August Hamonangan, a member of Commission C of the Jakarta DPRD, has requested that the Jakarta Provincial Government provide ample opportunity for citizens to appeal if they object to their assigned welfare decile category.

This request follows numerous complaints from residents regarding sudden changes in their decile categories, even though their economic conditions have not improved or are actually declining.

“Over the past two months, we have received 265 complaints from residents requesting decile corrections. Many residents have experienced sudden increases in their decile categories,” August stated in a briefing in Jakarta on Sunday.

August explained that the issue regarding decile categorisation has emerged alongside the implementation of the National Single Social and Economic Data (DTSEN), which is regulated under Presidential Instruction Number 4 of 2025 and Minister of Social Affairs Regulation Number 3 of 2025.

The system was established to update and synchronise various national socio-economic databases.

According to him, while the intention behind implementing the DTSEN is positive, it must be accompanied by improvements on the ground, particularly regarding data verification and validation to ensure aid reaches the intended targets.

“I believe the transition to the DTSEN system is good for centralising our citizens’ welfare data. However, in practice, I have received reports from the community that some individuals were not surveyed by field officers,” said August.

Furthermore, August highlighted the significant allocation for social assistance (bansos) within the Jakarta Social Services budget in the 2026 Revised Regional Budget (APBD), which reaches Rp803.77 billion.

He emphasised that these funds, sourced from taxpayers, must be distributed accountably to those truly in need.

To resolve the data discrepancies, August urged the Jakarta Provincial Government to immediately coordinate with the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS) to re-verify residents who have filed objections.

“Through social assistants from the sub-district level up to the Social Services Department, there must be wide-ranging opportunities for the public to contest increases in their decile categories,” he concluded.