Mataram Selected for Digital Social Aid Trial, Prabowo to Inspect
The city of Mataram has been selected as one of 42 districts and cities in Indonesia to pilot a strategic national project for the digitalisation of social assistance (bansos).
Acting Deputy for Government Digital Transformation at the Ministry of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform (KemenPANRB), Cahyono Tri Birowo, explained that the programme aims to improve the targeting accuracy of social aid distribution by leveraging cross-sector data. “How to ensure targeting accuracy? It will utilise cross-sector data available at central agencies. In this case, there are eight ministries or agencies that will share data with each other,” Cahyono said during an interview at the Mataram Mayor’s Office on Thursday (18/6/2026).
Although based on digital technology and applications, the government guarantees the system will not burden the public, particularly in accessing social aid services. Two registration mechanisms have been prepared: citizens can register independently via the application, or they can use the assistance of social companion agents deployed in the field. “We hope this does not add to the administrative burden or procedures, but rather simplifies them,” he clarified.
According to Cahyono, Mataram was selected as a pilot location based on two main criteria: the readiness of the region’s characteristics and strong commitment from the regional head. “Mataram’s characteristics support the implementation using an application, because accessibility and digital literacy among residents have already begun to form. Secondly, there is strong support from the Mayor,” he stated.
The Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs is prepared to provide full support, ranging from technical guidance on registering for the Digital Population Identity (IKD) to handling residential areas still experiencing signal issues or blank spots.
Cahyono added that President Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to directly inspect the trial implementation in the 42 regions during the first week of July 2026. If the trials proceed as planned, the digital social assistance system will be implemented nationally starting in October 2026. This digital-based social protection programme is fully funded by the state budget (APBN), aiming to create a social safety net that is more targeted, transparent, and efficient.
Mataram Mayor Mohan Roliskana confirmed his full commitment to ensuring the success of the central government’s digital social assistance programme involving 42 districts and cities across Indonesia. “From the moment we were designated as one of the 42 pilot cities/regencies, we have shown our commitment to making this programme a success. Our infrastructure is ready; it is just the community’s readiness that remains,” Mohan said during an interview on Thursday. He stressed that public readiness is crucial because the programme will bring a very fundamental change to the system. This transformation is deliberately designed to synchronise beneficiary data digitally in order to eliminate the persistent problems that often occur during social aid distribution. “This programme can harmonise data so that government assistance is precisely targeted and the identification of recipients is truly accurate, preventing the issues we usually face during every aid distribution,” he explained.