Jakarta, Feb. 13 -- Indonesia's social affairs minister said on Friday that the removal of some beneficiaries from the government-funded National Health Insurance (JKN) scheme was based on updated welfare data, not a presidential directive, after a mayor claimed otherwise.

Social Affairs Minister Saifullah Yusuf said he had sent a letter to the mayor to clarify the statement, warning it could mislead the public. He did not name the mayor.

Presidential Instruction No. 4/2025 governs the use of the National Social and Economic Single Data (DTSEN) as the sole reference for ministries and regional governments in running social programs, Yusuf said.

It does not order the deactivation of Premium Assistance Beneficiaries (PBI-JKN) under the B...