Semarang Economic Census Target Missed as Residents Fear Tax Implications

The head of the Central Statistics Agency (BPS) for Semarang City, Rudi Cahyono, has revealed that the implementation of the 2026 Economic Census in the region is facing significant obstacles. A primary issue is the reluctance of many residents to provide information about their income due to concerns it could lead to higher tax levies.

Rudi explained that the data gathered in the 2026 Economic Census is strictly for statistical purposes. However, the questionnaire does include items regarding income, expenditure, and consumption patterns. “So the public is worried, thinking, ‘Oh, this must be related to taxes.’ This is one of the reasons why some residents have not been willing to receive census officers,” Rudi said in an interview on Sunday.

More specifically, Rudi noted that residents who refuse to participate in the census fear that disclosing their income will result in increased tax assessments. “If their income is known, they think they will become a target for higher taxes,” he stated.

Rudi added that the public is now more aware of data privacy and security issues, which contributes to their hesitation during interviews with census officers. These field challenges have caused the census to miss its initial targets. “For the first two weeks, our target was 20 percent. Currently, the completion rate is only around 16 percent,” he said.

To address these issues, BPS Semarang is collaborating with local neighbourhood (RT) and community (RW) leaders to conduct outreach and explain the objectives of the 2026 Economic Census. Rudi appealed directly to the public, urging them to welcome census officers and stressing that the information collected is used exclusively to accurately portray the nation’s economic conditions.