Minerba Tax Don't Get Escaped, Sri Mulyani Launches Simbara

Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani (Photo: screenshot of the Ministry of Finance Youtube)

JAKARTA - The potential for high tax revenues amid soaring commodity prices has prompted the government to take the initiative to launch the Inter-Ministerial and Institutional Mineral and Coal Information System (Simbara).

Minister of Finance (Menkeu) Sri Mulyani said that this step was the development of an integrated ecosystem for all management and monitoring applications as well as being the source of data for the mineral and coal sector (minerba).

"We at the Ministry of Finance together with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Trade, the Ministry of Transportation, and also Bank Indonesia are trying and making a vow to create an integrated mineral and coal management ecosystem from upstream to downstream," he said through a virtual channel on Tuesday, March 8 .

According to the Minister of Finance, Simbara integrates processes starting from the single identity of taxpayers and taxpayers, mining licensing processes, sales plans, sales verification, PNBP payments, as well as exports and transportation or shipments, and foreign exchange earnings from exports.

"I hope this will provide a more certain, more transparent, accountable and accurate governance that provides certainty for state revenues and also from the business world side," he said.

The Minister of Finance added that all relevant ministries and institutions must have various duties and responsibilities to create a good ecosystem in managing the country's wealth to the maximum to be used for the community.

"Good management of natural resources is an obligation and a form of accountability to the community. For this reason, this synergy is extremely important,” he stressed.

High smuggling potential

Furthermore, the Minister of Finance revealed that the potential for smuggling crimes is increasing in line with the increase in mineral and coal commodity prices.

"This situation adds to concerns about the occurrence of violations of good governance, namely in the form of smuggling, under-invoicing, and tax violations are becoming very large," he said.

It was explained that the mineral and coal sector was getting more and more enthusiastic, which was reflected in the collection of state revenues. He said, throughout 2021 the value of mineral and coal revenues reached Rp 124.4 trillion, which was obtained from taxes, export duties, and non-tax tax revenues (PNBP).

“This is the highest acceptance in the last five years. Of course, the increase in the price of mineral and coal commodities will make a big contribution," he said.