Indonesia aims to digitize all ID documents by June 2024, urging over 200 million people to activate the Identitas Kependudukan Digital or Digital Population Identity (IKD) smartphone app.
Teguh Setyabudi, Director General of Population and Civil Registration of the Ministry of Home Affairs, stated that the country’s IKD goal is public service accessibility.
Setyabudi emphasized the user-friendly nature of the digital ID app, making it convenient for individuals in remote locations, senior citizens, and people with disabilities to access government services easily.
Furthermore, IKD will enhance the effectiveness of administrative processes in public service.
Population-related documents, like identification cards (KTP), family cards (KK), birth certificates, and more, can be swiftly accessed and authenticated in the digital platform. Hence, they are instantly on the app to save service time and costs.
Digital ID is a crucial focus for ASEAN governments, serving as a gateway to digital governance. In Indonesia, IKD is a priority Electronic-Based Government System application aligned with Presidential Regulation No. 82 of 2023.
Meanwhile, Setyabudi observed that digital IDs were created as a mechanism for individuals to authenticate their online identity while utilizing public services. The IKD constitutes a fundamental digital public infrastructure (DPI) element alongside digital payments and data exchange.
IKD is accessible digitally through a smartphone app, unlike a physical identification card. During activation, the system records the owner’s details, such as ID number, birth date, and photo, for digital access.
However, a traditional identity card is still valid if someone does not have a digital ID.
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The activation of IKD entails the participation of millions of individuals; currently, only 7.3M out of 220M citizens have completed the process, making it a substantial ongoing project.
Meanwhile, President Joko Widodo urged the Ministry of Home Affairs to expedite IKD implementation, aiming for completion within six months.
Setyabudi stated that the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil) aims to speed up activation using diverse methods. Dukcapil’s regional branches in all districts and cities have established service posts for IKD activation, catering to people’s needs.
Furthermore, public awareness campaigns promoting the benefits of IKD over traditional IDs motivate individuals to activate their digital counterparts.
He also said they advocate for the prompt activation of digital ID, emphasizing its enhanced safety with password verification and biometric codes, reducing the risk of loss or damage.
