KPK Ultimatum Taxpayer: If You Have A Consultant, You Must Pay According To The Provisions

DKI Provincial Government officials put a tax object order sticker on a number of places in the Green Pramuka Square area, Jakarta, in November 2018. (ANTARA-Rivan AL).

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has issued an ultimatum for taxpayers to pay their obligations according to the provisions. They are asked to dare to fight if the tax consultant tries to outsmart the amount that must be paid.

"We appeal to taxpayers to be brave, meaning that if they already have a tax consultant," said KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Karyoto in a KPK RI YouTube show, Friday, August 26.

"Tax payments must be strictly in accordance with the provisions of the law," he continued.

An ultimatum to work in accordance with the laws and regulations was also conveyed to tax consultants, especially those dealing with large companies. Don't let them break the rules to benefit entrepreneurs.

"Because the tax consultant's obligation is to provide consultation in accordance with the laws and regulations," said Karyoto.

Previously, the KPK detained tax consultants PT Jhonlin Baratama, namely Agus Susetyo, and PT Bank Panin, Tbk, named Veronika Lindawati on Thursday, August 25. Both were arrested for bribing an examiner at the Directorate General of Taxes.

In this case, Veronika, who is the commissioner of Panin Investment, was authorized by the Director of PT Finance of PT Bank Panin Tbk, Ahmad Hidayat in 2017. He was asked to take care of the 2016 tax audit from the Directorate of Audit and Collection (P2) of the Directorate of Taxes.

The team he met consisted of Wawan Ridwan as Supervisor, Alfred Simanjuntak as Head of the Examining Team and Yulmanizar and Febrian as members of the Examining Team.

Furthermore, the meeting took place again in July 2018. In a meeting at the Director General of Taxes Building, Vero asked that the value of PT Bank Panin's Tax Assessment Letter (SKP) could be conditioned so that the underpayment was only Rp300 billion.

To launch his wish, Vero promised to give a fee of Rp. 25 billion to the inspection team, which was informed through Yulmanizar.

The promise, continued Karyoto, was then conveyed by Wawan Ridwan and Dandan Ramdani which was then forwarded to the Director General of Taxes P2, Wind Prayitno. Furthermore, the approval is given and the promise of giving is carried out after the SKP is issued.

Not only from Veronika, these tax examiners also get a fee from Agus, who is a tax consultant for PT Jhonlin Baratama. To lower the SKP, they were promised a sum of Rp50 billion.

However, from this commitment, only Rp40 billion was realized. Furthermore, the Rp35 billion money was given in stages at the Director General of Taxes Building which was received directly by Wawan Ridwan as representatives of Angin Prayitno Aji, Dadan Ramdani, Alfred Simanjuntak, Yulmanizar and Febrian.

Meanwhile, Agus Susetyo received Rp 5 billion of the total Rp 40 billion. As a result of their actions, Agus and Veronika were suspected of violating Article 5 paragraph 1 letter a or Article 5 paragraph 1 letter b or Article 13 of the Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law of the Republic of Indonesia Number 20 of 2001 concerning Amendments to Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption.