RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Legislative Body of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR) has approved the draft law on One Data Indonesia as a "proposed DPR initiative bill". The regulation is expected to serve as the foundation for realizing an integrated national data system to support more targeted development planning based on the real needs of the community.

The agreement was reached at a plenary meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Deputy Chairman of the Legislation Body and Head of the Working Committee for the bill, Sturman Panjaitan, emphasized that data issues are no longer just a collection of numbers, but have become a strategic instrument in determining the direction of national development.

"This data is a measure of well-being. It shows the population, where the poor are located, and their income levels. All this data must be accurate and constantly updated," he said, as quoted by dpr.go.id.

According to him, accurate data will make it easier for the government to set development priorities, from infrastructure development, natural resource management, to the formulation of various public welfare programs. This way, the government can plan development, as well as determine what's a priority and what's less of a priority.

"Data is no longer just numbers; it's a function for building a sovereign nation. That's why our data must be sovereign," he stressed.

Sturman, of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), explained that the bill will also strengthen geospatial and sectoral data management. Hence, the government has a common basis for determining development needs in various regions.

"We need accurate data on rice field areas, coastlines, rivers, vulnerable areas, and fertilizer needs, not disparate data. With this data, the government can build for the welfare of the people," he said.

However, Sturman acknowledged that implementing a single data system is no easy task. He cited the example of Denmark, which took approximately 15 years to perfect its single data system despite having a much smaller population than Indonesia.

"But with hard work, smart work, and sincerity, nothing is impossible," he said.