BPS-Statistics Indonesia

BPS-Statistics Indonesia
Agency name	Statistics Indonesia (BPS)
Native name	Bad an Pusat Statistik
Formed	1920 (as Centraal Algemeen Statistisch Bureau)
Preceding1	Centraal Algemeen Statistisch Bureau
Jurisdiction	Indonesia
Headquarters	Jakarta
Chief1 name	Head of Statistics Indonesia

BPS-Statistics Indonesia serves as the central statistical agency of Indonesia, responsible for compiling national statistical information used by policymakers, researchers, and international organizations. The institution produces official statistics on population, labor, agriculture, industry, and prices, informing decisions at the ministries and by multilateral bodies. Its publications and censuses are referenced by national leaders, academic institutions, and global agencies.

History

Founded during the colonial period as the Centraal Algemeen Statistisch Bureau, the agency operated alongside institutions such as Dutch East Indies administrative offices, the Netherlands Indies Civil Administration, and later Indonesian departmental offices. After Indonesia's proclamation of independence, figures connected to the Indonesian National Revolution, the Indonesian National Party, and the Preparatory Committee for Indonesian Independence influenced the reorganization of statistical functions. During the Sukarno era, coordination occurred with bodies akin to the Ministry of Finance (Indonesia), the Ministry of Home Affairs (Indonesia), and planning institutions similar to the predecessor of Bappenas. In the New Order period, interaction with the Armed Forces of the Republic of Indonesia and development programs tied the agency to national development plans modeled on the Five-Year Plan concept used elsewhere. In the Reformasi era, reforms paralleled shifts seen in agencies associated with Megawati Sukarnoputri, Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, and Joko Widodo administrations, aligning statistical practice with standards used by the United Nations Statistical Commission, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund.

Organization and Leadership

The agency's internal structure mirrors national statistical offices like the United States Census Bureau, Office for National Statistics (UK), and Statistics Canada. Leadership appointments have occurred under presidents such as Sukarno, Suharto, BJ Habibie, Abdurrahman Wahid, and later administrations, requiring coordination with ministries including the Ministry of National Development Planning (Indonesia), the Ministry of Finance (Indonesia), and the Ministry of Home Affairs (Indonesia). Regional statistical offices work with provincial administrations like West Java, East Java, Central Java, and special regions such as Special Capital Region of Jakarta and Special Region of Yogyakarta. The agency engages with international bodies through delegations to the United Nations Economic and Social Council, meetings with representatives from ASEAN Secretariat, liaison with Asian Development Bank, and technical cooperation with Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Functions and Responsibilities

As Indonesia's statistical authority, the agency provides national indicators comparable to those produced by Eurostat, OECD, UNICEF, and WHO. It conducts censuses in line with practices of the United Nations Population Fund and compiles national accounts analogous to System of National Accounts outputs used by the International Monetary Fund and World Bank. The agency supplies data to ministries such as the Ministry of Health (Indonesia), Ministry of Trade (Indonesia), Ministry of Agriculture (Indonesia), and regulatory bodies like Bank Indonesia and the Financial Services Authority (OJK). Outputs inform policy documents from Bappenas, legal instruments debated in the People's Consultative Assembly, and analyses by think tanks like LIPI and universities such as University of Indonesia.

Data Collection and Methodologies

Data collection follows international guidelines developed by institutions including the United Nations Statistical Division, International Labour Organization, and Food and Agriculture Organization. Methodologies reference sampling designs similar to those used by the Demographic and Health Surveys and standards from ISO and methodological innovations adopted by Statistics Netherlands. Fieldwork coordination involves provincial governments, municipal offices exemplified by Surabaya, Medan, and Bandung, and partnerships with research centers such as Indonesian Institute of Sciences and academic departments at Gadjah Mada University. The agency employs techniques like stratified sampling, cluster sampling, and digital enumeration comparable to methods used by the United States Census Bureau and Statistics Norway, while using classification systems akin to ISIC and CPC.

Major Statistical Publications and Surveys

Key outputs include the Population Census, Agricultural Census, Economic Census, Labor Force Survey, and Consumer Price Index, paralleling publications by the United Nations, ILO, and World Bank. Regular releases mirror international series like the World Development Indicators and collaborate with programs such as the Global Food Security Index and Human Development Report authorship at the United Nations Development Programme. Publications are used by academic publishers including Routledge and research units at Columbia University, Australian National University, and Harvard University for comparative studies.

Role in National Policy and International Cooperation

The agency's statistics underpin macroeconomic policy debated at institutions like Bank Indonesia and the Ministry of Finance (Indonesia), and contribute to reporting obligations under agreements involving ASEAN, the United Nations Convention on Climate Change, and the Sustainable Development Goals. International cooperation includes technical assistance from UNESCAP, data harmonization with ASEANstats, and partnerships with bilateral donors such as USAID and multilateral lenders including the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank Group.

Criticisms and Reforms

Critiques have arisen similar to discussions about statistical agencies in other jurisdictions, including concerns raised by civil society organizations like Transparency International and academic critiques from scholars at Universitas Padjadjaran and Airlangga University. Reforms have been influenced by international capacity-building programs from UNDP, World Bank, and regional agendas from ASEAN to improve transparency, timeliness, and methodological rigor, comparable to reforms implemented in agencies such as Statistics South Africa and Statistics New Zealand.

Category:Statistics organizations Category:Organizations based in Jakarta Category:Government agencies of Indonesia