Bekasi Regency Government Abolishes Land And Building Tax Fines

Illustrated. (Irfan Meidianto / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Regional Revenue Agency of Bekasi Regency, West Java has officially issued a policy of eliminating land and building tax fines (PBB) to alleviate the amount of arrears of citizens and to increase local revenue (PAD).

The abolition of the fine is based on the Decree of the Bekasi Regent Number 973 / Kep 336-Bapenda / 2020 concerning the elimination of administrative sanctions in the form of fines for land and building tax receivables in rural and urban areas (PBB-P2) in Bekasi Regency in 2020.

"This policy issued directly by the Regent is aimed at both reducing and increasing the compliance of citizens to their obligations. This is a form of efforts to improve services for residents as well," said Head of Bapenda Bekasi Regency Herman Hanafi quoted from Antara, Monday, September 28.

Herman said the exemption of fines was imposed on the payment of payable taxes (SPPT) issued until 2020. Free PBB fines were also applied to the payment of tax payable to the regional treasury at Bank BJB from September 1 to October 30, 2020.

Herman believes that this policy can identify problems for citizens who have not made PBB payments. Through this identification, his party will arrange the next steps to provide convenience to residents.

"So the problem is whether it is due to limited costs or service difficulties. This is still being studied in order to generate stimulus from residents. We hope that residents will pay the PBB because this tax payment is a contribution to regional development," he said.

Herman admitted that in the first quarter, regional revenues had not been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, but in the following quarter, a number of anticipatory steps were needed to ensure that regional income remained stable and that service to taxpayers was optimal.

"Indeed, the impact of COVID-19 has slowed down the economy, so an assessment is needed to provide relief to the public in paying local taxes," he said.

According to him, the exemption from PBB fines is part of a breakthrough to provide relief for taxpayers. Apart from the exemption of fines, his party is currently reviewing several other breakthroughs such as extending the payment deadline.

"Then the discussion will also determine what kind of relief will be given to taxpayers in addition to the elimination of fines, whether to extend the payment period or what," he said.

As is known, the payment of local taxes and levies is regulated through Law Number 28 of 2009 concerning Regional Taxes and Regional Levies and in Bekasi Regency refers to Regional Regulation Number 5 of 2018 concerning Regional Taxes.

"Because this is related to the community's obligation to fulfill tax payments, later after the study is carried out it will be submitted to the regent to decide what kind of policy will be taken based on the laws and regulations. In particular, regional taxes become PAD," he said.