PDIP Urges Correction of Decile Data Anomalies, Calls for Regular Updates

PDIP faction member of House Commission VIII, Selly Andriany Gantina, has asked the government to form a special team to thoroughly evaluate decile data. Selly said this follows the emergence of a number of decile anomalies that could potentially threaten aid recipients, including recipients of the Indonesia Smart Card (KIP).

“The system’s results contradict the obvious facts on the ground. What must be examined is the quality of the data, the methodology, the updating process, and the verification mechanism,” Selly told reporters on Thursday (27/8/2026).

Selly questioned the quality of the data, the methodology, the updating process, and the verification mechanism used in determining people’s decile rankings. She argued that decile rankings should not be the sole basis for determining whether someone is eligible to receive social protection.

“Children who had previously been declared eligible, had received benefits, and some had even been recorded as KIP recipients, suddenly had their decile status changed to high due to the DTSEN update,” she said.

According to her, rigid decile changes for recipients already enrolled in a programme could actually harm the public. She asked the government to ensure that aid recipients’ rights are not lost merely because of administrative data issues.

“This means that poverty and social vulnerability data are indeed not as simple as decile numbers. Therefore, the case of a pedicab driver who is in decile 9, while a village head is in decile 8, should be an alarm for the government to evaluate the quality of data matching and updating,” said Selly.

“We must not have a sophisticated system, but the data entered does not reflect the actual conditions of society,” she added.

Selly asked the government to improve the updating and appeal mechanism so that it is fast, free, simple, transparent, and responsive. According to her, people at risk of losing aid should not have to wait months to get certainty.

“There must be regular data updates because household economic conditions are dynamic and can change at any time. Aid recipients must not lose their rights just because of decile changes that do not necessarily reflect real changes in their family’s economic capacity,” she said.

It is known that one decile anomaly occurred with motorised pedicab driver Timbul (49), a resident of Lendah, Kulon Progo, who was shocked to be recorded as decile 9. Timbul, who wanted to arrange a tuition reduction for his child at Yogyakarta State University (UNY), was confused.

As reported by detikJogja, Timbul discovered this when he visited the Lendah sub-district office two weeks ago to arrange a certificate of indigence (SKTM) as a requirement to apply for a reduction and scholarship. Timbul said his eldest child, Lucky, was accepted at UNY through the independent admission route.

He had to pay an entrance fee of Rp15 million. Therefore, he intended to apply for a reduction or scholarship through the Indonesia Smart Programme (PIP).

“I wanted to use PIP and apply for a scholarship, so I looked for an SKTM and came to the village hall, but it turned out that when checked by the village head, my decile was 9,” Timbul said when met at his residence on Monday (24/8).

Timbul was shocked because he was usually recorded in decile 1-2, but was now said to be in decile 9. He admitted he still received basic food assistance around the beginning of last year. “The last time I received PKH social assistance was about 4 or 6 months ago. It was in the form of basic food, for the poor, and for school children, around Rp1.1 million,” said Timbul.