In an era where we can buy anything online, check in for flights from your phone, and even consult doctors online, why do we still need fotokopi KTP (photocopy of ID card) just to access public services?

If the government is going digital, Why does the public services still feel so... analog?

Consider this:

A child is born. The parents don’t just need a doctor, they’ll also need to update their family card (KK), Register for the child identity card (KIA), possibly submit a birth certificate, and oh yes of course, bring photocopies of their KTP and KK, just to be sure. Each of these services usually sits in a different administrative silo. So while the parents are adjusting to night feeds and diaper duty, they also have to navigate a fragmented government.

Now consider this:

Parents leave the hospital with the birth certificate, the updated KK, and the KIA (Kartu Identitas Anak), and of course the baby, all done seamlessly. That scenario is possible, only if the hospital system can securely communicate with the civil registry and other relevant agencies. Today, that level of integration remains the exception, not the norm.

Public services should adapt to people's needs, not the other way around.

And real service integration can only happen if the systems behind it are interoperable. This is where Digital Public Infrastructure plays a critical role. At its core, Digital Public Infrastructure provides two essential building blocks for modern public services: Secure Digital ID and Government Data Sharing Platform

A Digital ID enables individuals to verify who they are, without the paperwork, and serves as the foundation of seamless public service delivery. In Indonesia today, verifying one’s identity still typically involves presenting a physical KTP, submitting a photocopy (just to be safe), supplementing it with a copy of the family card (KK), and more often than not, adding a letter from Pak RT or Bu RW. All of this effort is dedicated to accomplishing one basic task: proving that you are, indeed, you.

This is precisely what a well-designed Digital ID aims to solve. It’s about enabling a secure way for individuals to authenticate themselves once, and use that authentication seamlessly across public services without repeating the same steps over and over again.

This is also where the “once only” principle becomes critical. It’s the idea that citizens should only have to provide their data to the government one time, and never again. Countries like Estonia and Belgium have successfully implemented this principle, significantly reducing administrative burdens while improving the overall user experience.

Complementing digital identity is the need for a robust Data Sharing Platform, which allows public agencies to communicate and coordinate effectively by exchanging relevant service data behind the scenes. This way, citizens are no longer required to act as the courier of their own documents, carrying physical files from one government office to another. Unfortunately, in Indonesia, most inter-agency data exchange still relies on formal, manual agreements, usually in the form of written cooperation contracts. These agreements often take weeks or even months to finalize, creating friction in precisely the areas where we should be aiming for speed, accuracy, and simplicity.

Now imagine planning a wedding:

Instead of collecting and submitting stacks of forms, the bride and groom simply tap their KTPs, already equipped with NFC, to initiate the marriage registration process. For this to happen, public agencies need to share data responsibly, in real-time, under clear governance. They need a shared infrastructure, a common language, and a mutual trust framework. All built on top of DPI.

• So… Whose Job Is It, Really?

• Who builds the technology?

• Who defines the governance model?

• Who ensures this infrastructure actually translates into better public service delivery?

These questions matter. Because if digital transformation is to succeed, it must move beyond pilot apps and dashboards, and into the plumbing of government systems.

But it also requires something more fundamental: coordination. After all, citizens don’t navigate life based on institutional mandates. They simply need services that work. Regardless of which agency provides them. Delivering that kind of seamless experience means agencies must collaborate. Not just in vision, but in execution.

If your institution is thinking about this, or stuck trying to make it work, let’s talk.

Because public sector transformation isn’t about going digital. It’s about becoming relevant.

Contact us at endiyan@amana.id