Anies Promises To Free Taxes For Social Activities

DOCUMENTATION/Presidential Candidate (Capres) number 1 Anies Baswedan while campaigning in Kuningan Regency, West Java, Saturday (9/12/2023). (ANTARA/HO-Team Media AMIN)

Presidential candidate number 1 Anies Baswedan assesses that there is an inaccuracy in tax collection by the current government. According to him, tax collection for social activities does not need to be done.

Therefore, if elected president in 2024, Anies promised to waive taxes for social activities, especially land and building taxes (PBB).

"We are more inclined to social activities, it is reduced by the tax burden. Instead they must be released. Imagine, the YPAC (Defactured Child Development Foundation) takes care of the disabled children, it has to pay the UN tens of millions per year," said Anies in the 2024 presidential candidate dialogue with APINDO in Jakarta, Monday, December 11.

Anies is of the view that the government needs to implement a collaborative tax collection mechanism. If tax revenues on social activities are exempted, state revenues can be collected from other more commercial activities.

"Prolific activities are subject to taxes that must be proportional. So, they do not become disincentive for productive activities. Then, consumptive activities, especially those in a luxurious nature, there become higher taxes," explained Anies.

That way, according to him, taxes are managed by the government not to increase income, but the tax is to provide incentives for rational people in their actions.

"When a tax structure is prepared, it will form a behavior. The behavior we want is behavior that increases productivity. So taxes are prepared with such principles," he said.

Anies also considered that there needed to be improvement efforts in state revenue management. He proposed the establishment of a state revenue agency.

Along with that, Anies also sees the need for improvement in the aspect of income. This can be done with the use of the latest technology to human resources who are experts in their fields.

"We see that the revenue here is the fastest to save state money. Those whose money has already come out, the return is difficult. However, saving income from customs to tax issues, leaking there, must be corrected and cannot be tolerated," Anies added.