RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi) has tightened supervision of the implementation of biometric-based SIM card registration by asking all cellular operators to ensure that the registration process is carried out in accordance with regulations down to the level of outlets and sales partners. This step was taken after the government still found registration practices that did not fully meet the standards at several service points.

The Minister of Communication and Digital, Meutya Hafid, conveyed this affirmation at the Joint Commitment Event for the Implementation of Biometric Data-Based Customer Registration, attended by the board of directors of cellular telecommunications operators who are members of the Indonesian Telecommunications Operators Association (ATSI) in Jakarta, Thursday, July 23, 2026.

She emphasized that all registration channels, whether through stores, applications, websites, or distribution partners, must implement the same security standards. According to her, the implementation of policies should not stop at the central level, but must be consistently carried out throughout Indonesia.

"All registration channels, whether through stores, applications, websites, or distribution partner channels, must be subject to the same provisions." Don't let the policy be implemented at the central level, but in practice, there are still gaps in the field. There should be no difference in security standards between registration in big cities and in rural areas, between digital channels and physical channels, or between customers of one operator and another," Meutya said.

The Minister explained that biometric-based registration is a preventive step to close the loopholes in the misuse of mobile numbers, which have been exploited in various digital crimes, such as fraud, online gambling, illegal online loans, and identity theft.

According to Meutya, strengthening the registration system is done from the upstream side so that each mobile number is truly connected to the owner's identity, making it accountable. Thus, the space for identity misuse in the registration process will be further reduced, and protection for the public can be enhanced.

"This biometric registration policy serves as a solution at the upstream level to cut the root of digital finance-based crime. By closing the gap of anonymity from the outset, this regulation becomes a key fortress in combating fraud, online gambling, fictitious online loans, and identity theft that have long troubled the public," she explained.

Data from the Financial Transaction Reports and Analysis Center (PPATK) recorded the turnover of online gambling funds throughout 2025 reaching Rp286.8 trillion. Meanwhile, the Indonesia Anti-Scam Center (IASC) reported public losses due to fraud amounting to Rp9.1 trillion from more than 432 thousand reports from November 2024 to early 2026. As of July 16, 2026, the Ministry of Communication and Digital (Kemkomdigi) has also received more than 30 thousand complaints related to the misuse of mobile numbers for fraud, extortion, and various other forms of digital crimes.

Based on data from the Directorate General of Population and Civil Registration (Dukcapil), the implementation of biometric registration has reached more than 10.03 million customers. The government, together with operators, aims to extend this protection to all 291.16 million active mobile customers in Indonesia through enhanced supervision, increased compliance among sales partners, and the consistent application of biometric registration across all regions.