Tobacco Farmers of Madura Ask for Tritura, Demand Tax Policy Reform

JAKARTA - The issue of illegal cigarettes and tax management is considered not to be resolved without policy changes. Tobacco farmers in Madura are now pushing for three strategic steps that must be taken immediately by the central government.

The three demands were formulated as the Madura Tobacco Farmer Tritura, which was delivered by HRM Khalilur R Abdullah Sahlawiy, a cigarette entrepreneur and Owner of the Nusantara Global Cigarette Group (BARONG Group), who is familiarly known as Gus Lilur.

According to him, the current condition of the industry shows that the approach of enforcement alone is not enough. Policy steps are needed that can answer the root of the problem in the field.

"If only enforcement, this problem will not be resolved. There must be a policy solution that opens the way for tobacco farmers and farmers," said Gus Lilur in a written statement, Thursday, April 16.

First, the transition of illegal cigarettes to legal cigarettes. Gus Lilur emphasized that the problem of illegal cigarettes must be resolved through a transformative approach, not merely repressive. He also explicitly invited and asked cigarette entrepreneurs who are still on the illegal track to switch to legal business actors.

According to him, many small business actors are in a difficult position because of limited access to enter the legal system, both in terms of cost and procedures.

"This is not only about enforcement, but also about change. Illegal cigarette entrepreneurs must dare to switch to legal, and the state must open the way," he said.

Second, the Minister of Finance of the Republic of Indonesia will immediately implement the People's Cigarette Tax. The second demand is the acceleration of the realization of the special tax policy on people's cigarettes which was previously promised by the Minister of Finance.

Gus Lilur emphasized that the promise must be immediately realized as a form of the state's support for small business actors and tobacco farmers.

"We have heard the commitment from the Minister of Finance regarding the people's cigarette tax. Now is the time to implement it. Don't drag it out," he said.

He even encouraged that the policy could be realized at the latest within one month, given the increasingly urgent conditions on the ground.

According to him, without a fairer and adaptive tax policy, small business actors will continue to have difficulty entering the legal channel.

"If this is not immediately issued, then the problem of illegal cigarettes will continue to recur. But if the people's cigarette tax is present, this will be a real solution," he said.

Third, the President of the Republic of Indonesia immediately issued the PP KEK Tobacco Madura. The third point emphasizes the importance of a national strategic step through the issuance of a Government Regulation on the KEK Tobacco Madura.

According to Gus Lilur, the Tobacco Estate will be the foundation for building an integrated and sustainable industry.

"KEK Tembakau Madura is a long-term solution. This will connect farmers, industry, and markets in one strong ecosystem," he said.

He added, with the KEK, Madura can transform into a tobacco industry center that has national and global competitiveness.

The Madura Tobacco Farmer Tritura, according to Gus Lilur, is a concrete step to answer the fundamental problems in the tobacco sector.

He emphasized that the government needed to immediately take policies that not only disciplined, but also built.

"If we want this industry to be healthy, then it must start with fair policies. Farmers must be prosperous, business actors must live, and the state must also benefit," he concluded.