ILLUSTRATION. Based on the results of the March 2025 National Socioeconomic Survey (Susenas), the poverty rate was recorded at 23,85 million people, a decrease of 8,57% compared to September 2024.
reporter: The Greatest
KONTAN.CO.ID-JAKARTAThe Central Statistics Agency (BPS) noted that the national poverty rate has decreased again.
Based on the results of the March 2025 National Socioeconomic Survey (Susenas), the poverty rate was recorded at 23,85 million people, or a decrease of 8,57% compared to September 2024.
However, according to the research and policy advocacy institute The PRAKARSAHowever, these figures do not fully reflect the reality of poverty in Indonesia. This is because the methods used by BPS are considered outdated and fail to capture the important dimensions of true poverty.
Social Policy Researcher PRAKARSA Pierre Bernando Ballo explained that when someone is categorized as not poor based on Susenas, it does not mean that in reality they do not live in poverty.
This is because BPS still uses the old monetary-based method that measures the food poverty line (GKM) and non-food poverty line (GNKM), or commonly known as the cost of basic needs (CBN) method.
"This method is quite outdated and hasn't been changed in almost three decades. Yet, people's consumption patterns, deprivation, and other factors causing poverty have changed," Pierre said in his statement on Sunday (August 10, 8).
As an alternative, Pierre suggests using the Multidimensional Poverty Indicator (MMI) which takes into account non-monetary factors such as lack of access to clean drinking water, housing conditions, and morbidity levels.
The PRAKARSA noted that in 2022, there were around 14 million Indonesians living in multidimensional poverty, although many of them were not included in the official BPS poverty data.
This shows that there is a gap between statistical data and social reality.
"For example, if someone lives in a substandard house, they could be considered poor. However, because that indicator cannot be translated into expenditure, they are categorized as not poor based on BPS calculations," Pierre said.
This institution also encourages the government to not only raise the poverty line, but also broaden its scope, so that it can capture various aspects of poverty that cannot be quantified in monetary terms.
"Especially to highlight the factors of poverty that often cannot be quantified as expenses, but can cause someone to be poor," Pierre added.
source: Kontan.co.id