Social Affairs Minister Emphasises DTSEN Update for Targeted Social Assistance

BEKASI, KOMPAS.com – Indonesia’s Minister of Social Affairs, Saifullah Yusuf, emphasised the importance of updating the National Single Social and Economic Data (DTSEN) to ensure that social assistance (bansos) is targeted.

“Today we are coordinating to update the Integrated Social Welfare Data (DTKS) to ensure the social assistance disbursed is targeted,” Saifullah told reporters at the Swatantra Wibawa Mukti Building, Bekasi Regency, on Wednesday 4 March 2026.

He explained that under Presidential Instruction Number 4 of 2025, the President instructed the central and regional governments to coordinate in helping update data managed by the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

“Alhamdulillah, Bekasi has prepared all matters related to this updating. From village-level operators to the social services at the district level,” he said.

He hoped, with data that is increasingly accurate and real-time, social assistance would not only be targeted but also empower communities.

“I hope that with data that is increasingly accurate, it can help assistance not only be targeted but also empowering. I think that is the essence,” he said.

Saifullah stressed that poverty alleviation is a constitutional mandate as set out in the 1945 Constitution, particularly Article 34.

He noted that the state has a duty to provide protection and social security, social rehabilitation, and social empowerment for the poor and vulnerable groups.

That mandate is reinforced by Law Number 13 of 2011 on Handling the Poor, which emphasises that measures for protection and social security must be directed, integrated, and sustainable.

“The direction must be clear, integrating all of the nation’s potential, whether possessed by the government or non-government,” he asserted.

“The Ministry of Social Affairs has its own data; others have their own data. As a result, regions end up compiling data themselves. The consequence is sectoral ego,” he said.

The President, he continued, decided to entrust data management to the BPS, which is regarded as having complete instruments to manage and analyse data professionally.

He added that the data received by BPS is a compilation from various agencies at central and regional levels. Therefore, cooperation from all parties is needed to continually update and refine that data.

“That is our task now: to assist with updates so that the data becomes more accurate. This is why we are gathering today,” he said.