Questioning The Not Optimal DKI Tax Realization

DPRD meeting on local taxes in Jakarta (DIah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

JAKARTA - The Regional Tax and Retribution Agency (BPRD) must accept questions from members of the DKI DPRD at a Budget Board meeting today. This is because the realization of regional revenues is considered to be not optimal.

The revenue target of the 13 taxes that have been set in the 2019 Revised APBD (APBD-P) is IDR 44.54 trillion. Meanwhile, as of November 26, the budget had only reached IDR 35.315 trillion because none of the tax units had yet reached the target. There is still a difference of Rp9,224 trillion that must be pursued.

Jakarta DPRD Banggar Prasetio Edi Marsudi questioned the management of the DKI economy. The provincial government is targeting a high entertainment tax from entertainment businesses of IDR850 billion. However, the realization was only Rp.743.2 billion.

Prasetio has the view that other Regional Regulation (Perda) policies such as No Smoking Areas are one of the obstacles to regional tax revenue. As far as he knows, entertainment venues are very quiet if there are no cigarette users in them.

"Regarding the entertainment tax, for example, there is a bar that sells wine and cigars, but he can't avoid smoking. Try giving them the opportunity to provide smoking and non-smoking areas. The provincial government should have made an objective regulation because the tax on cigarettes is detrimental. , "said Prasetio at the DPRD Building, Central Jakarta, Tuesday, November 26.

DPRD Meeting (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

Then, member of the PDIP faction, Merry Hotma, highlighted the low fuel tax revenue included in the Motor Vehicle Fuel Tax (PBBKB). PBBKB target is IDR 1.27 trillion, but the realization of revenue as of November 26 has only reached IDR 1.15 trillion.

"Now I am confused that there has never been a (revenue target) of thousands of liters entering DKI. As soon as the traffic jams in Jakarta, we get traffic jams but our fuel tax is not clear," said Mery Hotma.

Responding, the Head of BPRD DKI, Faisal Syafruddin, explained several reasons for tax revenue that is still not optimal. Faisal confirmed that one of the factors in reducing the realization of entertainment tax is the Perda on Cigarettes.

Then, there are other factors such as the decline in the trend of annual events or large concerts that are usually held in Jakarta to outside Jakarta.

"There are several entertainment activities which were previously at GBK and JIexpo in Jakarta moving to ICE BSD Tangerang, Sentul International Convention Center in West Java, and Bali," answered Faisal.

"However, in the future DKI will build a large place which is likely to be put together for our holiday activities such as arts and other activities," he added.

DPRD Meeting (Diah Ayu Wardani / VOI)

Furthermore, regarding the suboptimal fuel tax revenue, Faisal had previously suspected that there was a fuel tax deposit from Pertamina that did not match the PBBKB revenue target.

Faisal admitted that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has only relied on reports from Pertamina. They do not have an RFID device that records the number of cubic meters of fuel that is discharged at each gas station in DKI.

Therefore, the BPRD will conduct a PBBKB examination involving the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), the Expectorate, and the Financial and Development Supervisory Agency (BPKP).

"We are trying to get the correct data. The tax paid by Pertamina is in accordance with what was deposited because we do not have real confidence that the PBBKB receipts are in accordance with those sent by Pertamina," he explained.