Public Lecture at the Untirta, the Vice Chief Statistician of Statistics Indonesia (BPS) Strengthens the Strategic Role of Statistical Data

Serang, June 17, 2025 – The Vice Chief Statistician of Statistics Indonesia (BPS), Sonny Harry Budiutomo Harmadi, delivered a public lecture on statistical education to lecturers and researchers at Sultan Ageng Tirtayasa University (Untirta) in Serang, Banten. The event took place at the Untirta campus and was attended by the university’s Rector, Prof. H. Fatah Sulaiman.

During his presentation, Sonny emphasized the vital role of Statistics Indonesia (BPS) in providing official statistical data that underpins government policymaking. He underscored that all statistical processes conducted by BPS strictly follow international guidelines, as set by the United Nations Statistical Commission and other global institutions.

“BPS methodologies are developed in accordance with international standards and are continuously overseen by the Statistical Community Forum, which comprises representatives from the government, experts, practitioners, and public figures. This ensures the accountability of the data produced by BPS,” Sonny explained.

Furthermore, Sonny elaborated on several key strategic indicators produced by BPS, such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), inflation, poverty rate, and other socio-economic indicators that are highly anticipated by various stakeholders for analysis and decision-making purposes.

He also emphasized the importance of statistics in the development planning process, particularly by highlighting real-world examples drawn from demographic statistics. Sonny recounted how shifts in population due to conflict during the 1945–1949 period affected the country’s social and economic dynamics. Following Indonesia’s transition to peace in the 1950s, there was a sharp rise in marriage and fertility rates, which in turn led to a surge in food demand. Two decades later, the labor boom of the 1970s prompted the government to formulate employment policies based on data. “That is just one small example of how demographic statistics contribute to long-term planning,” he remarked.

On this occasion, Sonny also addressed the recent public discourse regarding the differing poverty lines reported by BPS and the World Bank. He clarified that the discrepancy arises from distinct methodological objectives: the World Bank’s poverty line is intended for international comparisons, whereas BPS’s poverty line is specifically tailored for national policy planning. In fact, the World Bank has explicitly recommended that the Indonesian government continue to rely on BPS data in designing poverty alleviation programs.

This public lecture is part of Statistics Indonesia’s (BPS) ongoing efforts to enhance statistical literacy among academics and to strengthen synergy between the national statistical office and the education sector in supporting data-driven national development.