The requirement is laid out in a Presidential Instruction (Inpres) that was signed by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Jan. 6 but which attracted little public attention until recently.

The new scheme has been met with objections from critics, who argue that despite Jokowi's good intentions, the government should instead focus on improving the management of the National Health Insurance (JKN) program and restoring public faith in the Health Care and Social Security Agency (BPJS Kesehatan), which runs the JKN.

In the document, people who wish to go on the haj or umrah (minor haj) to Saudi Arabia and those wishing to legally transfer land ownership in the process of selling or buying land must hold active JKN policies.

This is also applicable for those who applying for a driving license, vehicle registration certificates (STNK), police declaration of no criminal conviction (SKCK) and microcredit program (KUR) loans.

Read also: Pandemic forces people out of BPJS Kesehatan

Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) lawmaker Mardani Ali Sera called for the revocation of the policy, saying that it was a form of coercion for the public to hold JKN insurance plans.