MUI invites the public not to boycott paying taxes in memory of today, March 13, 2023
JAKARTA - Today's memory, three years ago, March 13, 2023, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) asked the public not to boycott paying taxes. He emphasized that paying taxes is a form of obedience to the government. He also appealed to the government to eradicate corrupt tax officials.
Previously, the Directorate General of Taxes (DJP) received sharp criticism. His staff were considered to often show off their wealth in public. The people were furious. Many of them were calling for a boycott of paying taxes.
The public's contribution to paying taxes is very large for national development. This narrative makes the government able to do many things to support the livelihood of all Indonesian people. DJP also has the task of collecting taxes to the government.
Instead of working well, DJP often gets into trouble. Take for example the unnatural wealth of DJP employee Rafael Alun Trisambodo and Director General of Taxes, Suryo Utomo, who were caught showing off a big motorcycle (moge) in February 2023.
He showed off with a tax officer-made moge club called Belasting Rijder. As a result, Suryo's photo riding with Belasting Rijder went viral everywhere. Criticism emerged. Many condemned the DJP employee.
They believe that the moge they ride is not from salary, but from corruption. The public's trust in DJP then fell to the lowest level. Sri Mulyani was furious. The Minister of Finance considered his subordinates' show-off and hedonistic actions inappropriate.
Sri revealed that although it was true that moge was bought with his own salary, the public still suspected that DJP was rotten. Sri then asked the moge club, Belasting Rijder to be disbanded. However, the problem did not end there.
Borok DJP then emerged from the desire of the public not to pay taxes. This condition is because they consider paying taxes is a useless effort because the money is corrupted by DJP employees.
In fact, tax money should be used to improve the living standards of all people. Jokowi even made DJP a bad example so that his staff did not show off and hedonism.
"From the comments I read, both in the field and in the ministry, on social media, because of the events in Pajak and at the Customs. I know very well to follow the public's disappointment with our government officials and be careful."
"Not only tax and customs affairs, there is the police and other law enforcement agencies against other bureaucracies and if that is the case. Yes, if you ask me, it is appropriate for the people to be disappointed because the service is considered not good, then the behavior of the apparatus is arrogant and shows power, then shows strength, shows wealth, hedonism," said Jokowi as quoted by lamandetik.com, March 2, 2023.
The government also continues to convince the Indonesian people that the boycott movement to pay taxes is a rebellion against the state. This condition makes MUI speak out on March 13, 2023. MUI invites all Indonesian people not to boycott paying taxes.
MUI believes that paying taxes is a form of obedience to the state. However, MUI also emphasizes that the government should work properly.
The collected tax money must be used as necessary to improve the people's living standards. The government is also asked to immediately eradicate corrupt tax officials. All of this is to restore public confidence in the DJP.
"People are still obliged to pay taxes because it is part of obedience to the legitimate government. Don't let tax officials make people rebel against the state by refusing to pay taxes. But, don't let the officials," said Head of the MUI's Dakwah and Brotherhood, Cholil Nafis, as quoted by the ANTARA website, March 13, 2023.