PSBB Again, The Mall Management Association Asks Anies To Abolish PBB And Advertisement Taxes

JAKARTA - Chairman of the DPP Indonesian Shopping Center Management Association (APPBI) Alphonzus Widjaja asked the Governor of DKI Jakarta Anies Baswedan to remove the land and building tax (PBB) advertisement tax on them when the PSBB took effect.

Because, said Alphonzus, this tax incentive can ease the burden of business expenses. He assessed that the economic condition of the mall or shopping center manager has weakened again due to the PSBB. So the relaxation incentive is needed.

"Shopping centers need stimulus or relaxation in order to sustain their business. We are asking for the abolition of land and building tax and advertisement tax," Alphonzus said in his statement, Thursday, September 10.

Alphonzus said, APPBI had asked the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government to provide incentives in the form of tax abolition since the PSBB era at the beginning of the April pandemic. Unfortunately, this has not been fulfilled, until finally entering the transitional PSBB period until now.

"It has been a long time since we asked for the abolition of PBB and advertisement tax. But until now it has not been fulfilled," he said.

"Even though the shopping center was closed during the early PSBB period, we still have to pay quite high taxes," he continued.

Aplhonzus predicts that the economic conditions of shopping centers or malls will be worse off than the previous PSBB implementation.

"The condition of the shopping center in the total PSBB that will come will be worse than the PSBB at the beginning of the pandemic," said Aplhonzus.

He said, when the PSBB was first implemented, mall managers still had financial reserves. At that time, malls could still survive because the first PSBB was implemented when economic conditions were still normal.

However, when the PSBB will be implemented again on September 14, with the closure of all shops except for foodstuffs and medicines, Alphonzus said that the mall will be battered to maintain its business.

Because, currently, all business sectors are still trying to restore economic conditions since all shops in malls reopened during the transitional PSBB period.

"The condition of shopping centers during the transition period of PSBB is still not recovering and is still in a bad condition. If we now enter PSBB, shopping centers will be battered," he added.