Concerned About Policies That Strengthen The Indonesian People

JAKARTA - The audit report on compliance with Tapera fund management in 2020 and 2021 found that many irregularities occurred in DKI Jakarta, North Sumatra, Lampung, Central Java, DI Yogyakarta, East Java and finally Bali. The irregularities were found by the Supreme Audit Agency with a total of hundreds of billions of money that could not be disbursed again and there was a duplicate of data from Tapera participants.

Some of the irregularities found included hundreds of thousands of Tapera participants who could not get their rights back due to being held back and could not be withdrawn. The findings noted that 124,960 participants had participated in Tapera and 40,266 have retired.

Based on VOI's search, the audit team from the BPK found hundreds of thousands of Tapera participants who could not get their rights. The money they have deposited so far has been stuck and cannot be withdrawn.

Reporting from the BPK website, the results of the examination concluded that the management of the Tapera Fund and operational costs in 2020 and 2021 at BP Tapera and other relevant agencies had been carried out according to the criteria. However, with the exception of several significant problems, as follows.

BPK found that BP Tapera's active participant data was 247,246 people who had not been updated, namely the data category with an anomalous rank history of 176,743 people and the incomplete population identification number (NIK) data as many as 70,513 people.

This resulted in the Tapera Fund balance being unable to be managed in the KPDT and optimally utilized IDR 754.59 billion. Participants also have not been able to take advantage of their rights in the form of utilization or refunds.

BPK recommends BP Tapera to cooperate in updating active and/or inactive civil servant data with related agencies. Unfortunately, the findings from BPK did not seem to be a concern for Jokowi before signing Government Regulation Number 21 of 2016 regarding Public Housing Savings (Tapera) at the end of May.

Jokowi believes that the public regulations regarding Tapera will not be much different from the implementation of the rules for receiving contribution assistance (PBI) for the Health Insurance Administration Agency (BPJS), which was also a public conversation.

As before BPJS, outside the PBI, 96 million free is also crowded. However, after walking, I think it will benefit the hospital not to be charged. Things like that will be felt after running. If it's not usually pros and cons," said Jokowi.

The government will cut the salaries of civil, private, BUMN, to TNI/Polri by 3% for public housing savings (Tapera). Government Regulation (PP) Number 21 of 2024 concerning Amendments to PP Number 25 of 2O2O concerning the Implementation of Public Housing Savings signed by President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) recently.

Unfortunately, the PP is very contrary or not the same as Law Number 14 of 2016 which was approved by PDIP and PKS. Mentioned in Article 9 paragraph 2 of Law Number 14 of 2016 concerning public housing savings (Tapera) it reads that independent workers as referred to in Article 7 paragraph 1 and paragraph 2 must register themselves (voluntarily) to BP Tepera to be participants.

The question is why President Jokowi told the media crew to oblige all cross-sectoral workers, both private and ASN. There is even an application of sanctions for workers who do not want to follow the Tapera rules. The government imposes two sanctions on workers who do not follow Tapera rules. The first sanction is in the form of a warning and the second is given an administrative sanction of 0.1 percent of the salary received by workers every month.

President Jokowi's policy of strong criticism in the form of Government Regulation in 2024 concerning Tapera rules was also given by academics. The reason is that in the Government Regulation issued by Jokowi in 2024, Article 27 paragraph 1 in section C states that those who follow Tapera rules are given to those who do not have a house.

However, in reality, workers who already have a house are also required to follow the 2024 government regulations made by Jokowi, including the two sanctions. The 2024 Government Regulation clearly contradicts Law Number 14 of 2016 which was approved by the DPR. Concerned about the current condition of the people who seem to be the person in charge of the homework carried out by the central government.

Tapera Rejection Is A Form Of Cultural Criticism

PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto emphasized that his party approved Law Number 14 of 2016 concerning Public Housing Savings (Tapera) because workers are not obliged to follow. According to him, if at this time there are regulations made by the government that require it to follow by cutting workers' salaries, it is clear that they are part of the oppression of the people.

Hasto reasoned that the workers' salary is the full right of workers who work sweatfully. And it is very appropriate that the government's regulation on Public Housing Savings (Tapera) has drawn a lot of rejection.

"Well, related to the issue of Public Housing Savings (Tapera), the law says it is not mandatory, when it becomes mandatory, it becomes a new form of oppression using the legalism autocracy," Hasto told VOI in a written message.

Hasto emphasized that Tapera contributions should not be applied. Moreover, this Tapera regulation has received a lot of criticism, both from the general public and academics. Hasto emphasized that the public's rejection is expected to be part of cultural criticism of government policies.

Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) Coordinator Agus Sunaryanto responded to the People's Housing Savings (Tapera) program. Agus said that the policy should not burden the community and potentially become a new field of corruption.

Agus asked the government not to continue to burden the community from the income earned from their sweat. He reasoned that now after the pandemic that hit several years ago, many people have difficulty from an economic perspective.

"When viewed from the pandemic era that hit several years ago, the lower level of society has not been able to restore its economy. Currently, there are many unemployed and work odd jobs in order to survive. So don't give too much burden or responsibility to the community," said Agus Sunaryanto.

He added that in the digital era like today where information is very easy to obtain, people are more observant and intelligent in deciding everything.

"Moreover, people are now smart. Some have even calculated that even if it's 100 years old, it's also not possible to buy housing, yes, because there is inflation. Belulm is certainly also our age there. Then our children who inherit it may be made difficult later to take care of the process," he said.

Massive Acceptance Of Tapera Socialization

Presidential Chief of Staff (KSP) General TNI (Ret.) Moeldoko opened his voice about the polemic of the people's housing savings program (Tapera). He said the government understood people's concerns.

"The government understands the concerns and anxiety of the Indonesian people regarding the Tapera program. In fact, we also know that there are anger and so on," he said at a press conference, at the Presidential Staff Office, Jakarta, Friday, May 31.

According to Moeldoko, the people's concerns and anger occurred because of the socialization of the Tapera program which had not been carried out massively. So, he said, there was a misunderstanding.

"Why is that possible? It happened because there was no massive socialization yet, so there was a misunderstanding. There are questions that need to be given a more concrete explanation," he explained.

Therefore, continued Moeldoko, all stakeholders were invited by KSP in order to provide answers. According to him, media crews can represent the community by asking questions that need to be known.

"Please ask. Ask anything so that people can understand what is being carried out by Tapera," he said.