Sandiaga: Tapera Deposit Should Not Be Hit Equally To All Workers

Illustration - Rows of housing. BETWEEN PHOTOS/Oky Lukmansyah/pd.

JAKARTA - Entrepreneur Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno believes that the People's Housing Savings (Tapera) contribution scheme which will be collected through a salary cut should not be beaten evenly applies to all workers and companies.

Sandiaga assesses that every worker and company has different financial capabilities, especially in the midst of challenging economic situations and the current high cost of living, especially for the lower class.

Sandiaga, founder of investment company Saratoga Investama Sedaya, emphasized the importance of finding the right solution so that the contribution burden is not only borne by workers or the government alone.

There are several companies that are ready because their businesses generate a lot of cash. However, there are also those who experience challenges, especially labor-intensive. This must be sought for an equilibrium," said Sandiaga who is also the Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy.

"Maybe it can't be a policy that can be beaten evenly to all industries, but it must be chosen which industries can and which won't," he continued as quoted by ANTARA, Friday, May 31.

However, Sandiaga also acknowledged that the need for public housing is a necessity. If this policy continues to be postponed, according to him Gen Z will never be able to own a house.

"Indeed, this is a bitter pill that we must take, but we all have to be together. The cuts cannot be borne by all parties," he said.

The government this month issued Government Regulation (PP) Number 21 of 2024 concerning the Implementation of Public Housing Savings.

This Tapera participation targets not only civil servants (PNS), but also private employees, BUMN, BUMD, BUMDes, TNI-Polri, to independent workers. The 3 percent contribution burden for the program will be borne together by workers and companies.

However, the mandatory participation in the Tapera program drew widespread protests from workers and employers because it was considered burdensome. Moreover, workers and companies must also bear the burden of contributions for income tax, health insurance, employment guarantees.

Director General of Public Works and Financing Infrastructure Financing Herry Trisaputra Zuna, at a press conference in Jakarta, Friday, stated that the Tapera program aims to solve the problem of backloging or housing shortages through home ownership loans (KPR) at affordable interest.