Apindo Reveals Tax Amnesty Will Create A Community Polemic

JAKARTA - Economic Policy Analyst of the Indonesian Employers' Association (Apindo) Ajib Hamdani conveyed that the tax amnesty policy will always cause conflicting polemics and discourse because this tax amnesty will provide a sense of injustice to taxpayers who have complied.

"Because people who take part in the tax amnesty program, it means admitting that previously they did not comply in carrying out tax obligations," he said in his statement, Friday, November 22.

According to Ajib, the public will tend to underestimate general policies regarding taxation because the government routinely issues a tax amnesty program so that it makes this tax amnesty policy a less ideal program.

In principle, Ajjib conveyed that the tax function is for state finances or budgetair functions, as well as the function of regulating the economy or regularity. In the context of this tax amnesty policy, the budgetair and regularity aspects can be encouraged together and provide benefits.

"The tax amnesty policy is a less ideal program, but it is needed by the community and the government," he explained.

On the other hand, Ajjib conveyed that the Indonesian people in general still have low tax literacy even though the group community understands taxation, the tax-abiding culture is still low. This is reflected in the tax rate of Indonesia which only moves in the range of 10 percent.

Ajib explained that in 2025, the core tax system policy will be implemented, this requires taxpayer prerequisites to have a better understanding and tax compliance.

Meanwhile, from the government side, Ajjib conveyed that there are at least three benefits with the tax amnesty policy, namely the first need for budgetair, namely to increase income for the state budget.

Furthermore, net assets reported by taxpayers, will appear which previously served as part of the underground economy, can enter the more open Indonesian Financial System, and then become more productive assets included in the national economic round.

Next, it can help provide leverage to 8 percent economic growth, because there is no concern for the public to spend the money that has been recognized in the tax amnesty program.