The Tapera Program Is Hard To Inflame When The COVID-19 Pandemic Meluluhlanksin Dunia

President Jokowi while attending the declaration of the One Million Houses Development Program for the People in Ungaran, Central Java, in 2015. (Setkab)

JAKARTA - The COVID-19 pandemic was once a frightening scourge in Indonesia. The Indonesian economy fell to its lowest level. All Indonesian people were also affected. Some have lost their families, businesses, and jobs. Everything is difficult.

In fact, this condition does not make the Joko Widodo (Jokowi) government sensitive. The difficult condition of bin is actually being used to issue Government Regulations (PP) regarding the Implementation of Public Housing Savings or Tapera. A policy that is flooded with criticism.

The corona virus is considered to be the cause of the problem of the world's economic damage. The spread of the virus from Wuhan is quite fast. In fact, the Chinese government itself cannot anticipate that the corona virus can spread throughout the world. The whole world of panic is no joke. Indonesia, let alone.

This panic became even more intense when the COVID-19 pandemic was officially detected entering Indonesia in March 2020. Panic and fear made them unprepared. As a result everywhere. All Indonesian economic joints fell to their lowest level.

Many businesses are out of business. Unemployment is mushrooming. This condition makes people depend on the government's hope so that it can get through the pandemic. At the very least, the government is able to provide a sense of security with measures to prevent and overcome COVID-19.

Instead of thinking about the right steps to fight the virus from Wuhan, the government actually'magically' wants to pass other policies. The policy was issued through Government Regulation Number 25 of 2020 concerning Tapera. This regulation requires workers to be 'asN' and private - to become Tapera participants.

The government aims so that Tapera participants in the future can own a house or renovate a house. The monthly participant contribution is set at three percent of the salary, 2.5 percent is borne by workers, 0.5 percent is borne by the company.

The policy shocked the whole of the archipelago. The issue of disrupting COVID-19 has not been maximized. The people have not yet gained a balance of life. This condition makes the government considered insensitive to the condition of the people, like falling on a ladder as well. The people are also not sure about the credibility of the government in managing large funds.

The issuance of this regulation also emphasizes that the government is irresponsible in providing decent housing for citizens, as mandated by the constitution. The government argues that the housing savings contribution is to help realize the dream of workers to own a house. However, with Tapera, the government's responsibility is not functioning because the housing development funds are borne by the people.

Another issue that needs to be observed is the credibility of state institutions in managing community funds. Fund collection and management which reaches tens of trillions of rupiah per year, developed through investment, has the potential to pose a moral risk that is not implemented with good governance," wrote Tempo magazine report entitled Beban Baru Named Tapera (2020).

Jokowi's government plan to present a flood Tapera. The presence of PP Tapera, which is present in the midst of a pandemic, is considered a burden. Because people can just survive at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic is quite difficult.

Senayan politicians began to criticize him. Moreover, from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction. They saw that the government which forced the presence of Tapera was considered insensitive. Tapera is like a burden on the people that does not need to be presented, especially during the pandemic.

Tapera's presence made all people interpret the government as looking for new sources of financing. The government is asked to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic, which does not know when it will subside.

Criticism was also conveyed by businessmen. Former Deputy Governor of DKI Jakarta from the 2017-2018 era, Sandiaga Uno also spoke up. The Tapera contributions that are planned to be withdrawn in early 2021 are considered a burden in the business world.

Sandi considers that a policy that cannot be felt during the pandemic does not need to be encouraged. There is no urgency. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit entrepreneurs hard enough. So, the government does not need to make contributions or taxes that actually disrupt the business world.

The government also received criticism. The program was postponed. However, the Tapera Program will be implemented again in June 2024. Even as before, the plan to collect Tapera contributions was flooded with criticism.

What the community needs to recover its business is cash funds. So far, many entrepreneurs have eaten savings. Don't even be burdened with fees that cannot be felt the impact for now.

"These have all shouted that MSME entrepreneurs do not have liquidity, people have lost their jobs. We have to hear the voices of the affected people. The community must now be the subject because we are fighting the pandemic together," Sandi said as quoted by the Gatra.com page, June 12, 2020.