Minister Basuki Regarding Tapera Contributions Cut Salaries: It's Savings, Not Lost Money

JAKARTA - The People's Housing Savings (Tapera) contribution suddenly became a public conversation. The reason is, workers' salaries, both civil servants and the private sector, will be deducted to pay the dues.

Minister of Public Works and Public Housing (PUPR) Basuki Hadimuljono also opened his voice on this matter. He said workers' salaries that were deducted would not be immediately lost. According to him, the salary cut is a deposit to build a house.

"In my opinion, the former Tapera savings, not cuts, will continue to be lost. That's a member's savings for later he will get help building his house," Basuki told reporters at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), Tuesday, May 28.

Basuki said Tapera had existed five years ago. However, it was not immediately implemented.

"It's been five years since we were with Tapera which is now. It's been five years ago, the first Tapera was formed for the Minister of Finance (Sri Mulyani) to foster credibility first. So, it didn't go directly to the first year," he said.

He reiterated that the workers' salaries cut were not lost. "Well, it's been five years. There has been a change of management, right, this started with the approval of the President. So it's not lost money, the problem is there is old age guarantee, there is this. But, it's not money lost," he said.

When asked again when the installments would be applied, Basuki did not know for sure. He admitted that he had not read the rules in detail.

"I haven't read the exact Perpres. Sorry," he added.

The regulation regarding Tapera was signed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) on Monday, May 20, 2024, as stated in Government Regulation (PP) Number 21 of 2024 for amendments from PP 25/2020.

Classification of groups that are required to take part in this program, namely ASN, TNI, Polri, BUMN/BUMD workers and private workers.

The regulation states that employers are obliged to pay participant deposits whose obligations are and collect participants' savings from workers.

It is known, the amount of the contribution is set at 3 percent of the salary or wages for Workers Participants and income for Independent Workers Participants. For Workers Participants, it is borne together between the company and employees by 0.5 percent and 2.5 percent, respectively, while Independent Worker Participants bear overall savings.

Participants who are included in the category of Low-Income Communities (MBR) can get benefits in the form of Home Ownership Loans (KPR), Home Building Credit (KBR) and Home Renovation Loans (KRR) with long tenors of up to 30 years and fixed interest rates below market interest rates.

Funds raised from participants will be managed by BP Tapera as savings to be returned to the participants.