Remember! Perlinsos Agents Are Unpaid and Forbidden from Accepting Any Reward

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia — The Ministry of Social Affairs (Kemensos) has opened an opportunity for members of the public to become Social Protection Agents (Agen Perlinsos) as part of preparations for the digitalisation of social assistance (bansos), which will be implemented nationally from 2027.

However, Minister of Social Affairs Saifullah Yusuf, known as Gus Ipul, stressed one important point: Perlinsos Agents will not be paid.

According to Gus Ipul, Perlinsos Agents are volunteers whose task is to help the community access social protection services, particularly citizens who struggle to register independently due to limited information, technology or other circumstances.

“A Perlinsos Agent is a volunteer. They are not paid, there is no compensation of any kind, and they are forbidden from requesting or accepting money, goods, gifts or rewards in any form from the people they assist,” Gus Ipul said during a morning assembly with all Kemensos staff in Jakarta on Monday (14/9/2026).

He emphasised that all services provided by Perlinsos Agents are free of charge. For that reason, agents may not treat the programme as a source of income nor demand compensation from the people they help.

According to him, the Perlinsos Agent programme was created not to establish a new profession, but to mobilise social awareness so that eligible citizens are not overlooked by the system.

Gus Ipul also reminded that Perlinsos Agents do not decide who receives social assistance. Their role is merely to act as a link or “first counter” for people seeking information and assistance regarding social protection programmes.

“The task of a Perlinsos Agent is just one thing: to be a counter, a place where people come, a place where people are accompanied to register. Nothing more than that,” he said.

He stressed that agents have no authority to determine a person’s eligibility to receive bansos.

“Agents do not determine who is eligible and who is not (to receive bansos), agents cannot and must not manipulate anyone’s data. Eligibility is assessed by the DTSEN-based system and other administrative data, not by agents, not by officials, not by anyone personally,” he asserted.

The statement also serves as a warning that Perlinsos Agents are not “bansos brokers”. They are also forbidden from promising members of the public that someone will definitely receive assistance after registering.

This is because people who have registered or passed verification are not necessarily immediately designated as social assistance recipients.

“Passing registration and verification does not mean someone is guaranteed to receive bansos. Designation still depends on data, criteria, priorities and budget capacity,” said Gus Ipul.

So, how does one register as a Perlinsos Agent?

Members of the public who wish to become Perlinsos Agents must have a Digital Care Identity (IKD). Registration can then be carried out through the agenperlinsos.kemensos.go.id portal.

Prospective agents are asked to complete their personal data, undergo facial verification and declare their commitment as a Perlinsos Agent.

Gus Ipul expressed hope that more people will become involved so that no citizen loses access to social protection simply because they do not know how to register or access government services.

“Let no eligible neighbour be left out simply because we stayed silent,” he concluded.