BPS head Suhariyanto said the input was important because data collected from the census would become the main reference for the government in planning its programs.

He added that it was also important to keep the questionnaire as simple as possible so it could be easily understood by people from any walk of life.

"We are currently designing the methodology, questionnaire and campaign program. After this meeting, we will routinely invite you all for more intensive talks," he told the participants of the meeting at the BPS office in Jakarta.

BPS social statistics deputy Mirjou Sairi Hasbullah said the agency used United Nations’ guidelines on basic variables for the census.

It also received assistance from the Australian Bureau of Statistics in designing the questionnaire, he said, adding that input from Indonesian experts would be considered in drafting the questionnaire.

Suhariyanto added that in July, the agency would start a pilot program in seven provinces -- North Sumatra, South Sumatra, Jakarta, West Java, South Kalimantan, East Nusa Tenggara and North Maluku.

After reviewing the pilot program, it would hold a census rehearsal in 2019 before launching the census around June, 2020.

"The census will involve around 1 million officials and we will recruit around 800,000 part-time census takers," he said. (bbn)

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