TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Central Statistics Agency (BPS) extended the deadline for the online registration of the 2020 national population census until May 29, 2020, from initially set on March 31.

"We decided to attract as many people as possible to conduct the online census. So we extend it until May 29," said BPS Deputy for Social Statistics, Margo Yuwono, on Wednesday, April 1.

Due to the extension period, Margono added, the implementation of the census through door-to-door interviews was also delayed. It was slated to kick off on July 1-31 but postponed to September 1-30, 2020.

Margono mentioned that given the coronavirus pandemic, the rules and policies in light of the census will be adjusted to the situation development.

BPS targeted that 22.9 percent of the total population carry out the online registration. However, based on the latest data obtained, only 32.4 million Indonesians have registered online.

Margono said that following the government’s appeal on physical distancing in an effort to curb the coronavirus spread, the number of people filling out the online census was predicted to increase. The online census can be accessed through the BPS website census.bps.go.id.

EKO WAHYUDI