TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Financial Services Authority (OJK) Muliaman Hadad said the enthusiasm of the Indonesian community in Singapore to participate in the tax amnesty program remains high.

Public interest remains high despite the news that a number of Singaporean banks have reported Indonesian citizens who repatriate funds in order to join the program.

Hadad said that earlier OJK has called a number of banks inlcuding OCBC NISP, UOB and DBS to ask for clarification.

"We are grateful for their good will to work together. No problem now. In fact, I hear that the enthusiasm of the people of Indonesia in Singapore remain high and are not bothered by the news yesterday," said Hadad at in Jakarta, Friday (23/9).

As previously reported, on 21 September, OJK called on three banks affiliated with Singapore, which OCBC NISP, UOB and DBS. The move was intended to ask for clarification about the news stating that their parent banks reported Indonesian citizens who repatriate funds in order to joint the tax amnesty.

During the meeting, the three banks admitted that that their parent banks did make a report to Singapore's Commercial Affairs Department (CAD) of Singapore or Singapore’s police units that handle financial crimes in order to prevent money laundering.

However, the report was not followed up by the CAD.

Since meeting, Hadad said incoming repatriation from Singapore in the tax amnesty program has reached Rp 1.2 trillion in the past week, while the repatriated funds of Indonesian citizens in Singapore amounted to Rp 2 trillion.

ANGELINA ANJAR SAWITRI