Whistleblowing System at Tax DG Must be Reinforced: Minister

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that the whistleblowing system in the taxation sector must be reinforced to eradicate corruption in the interior of the Finance Ministry’s Tax Directorate General (DG).

“Due to the recent incident, we need to assess whether the effectiveness of the whistleblowing system needs to improved,” Sri Muyani said after attending the commemoration of the International Anti-Corruption Day held by the Tax Directorate General in Jakarta on Thursday, December 1, 2016.

The whistleblowing system will allow Tax DG’s officials and public to report corruption acts committed by tax collectors or taxpayers. Sri Mulyani expressed optimism that if the system runs effectively, the Tax DG will be able to receive and follow up the reports.

“The Finance Ministry’s Tax DG must have an internal defense system to improve public’s trust in our institution,” Sri Mulyani asserted.

In addition to reinforcing the whistleblowing system, the Tax DG has continuously implemented bureaucracy reform to eradicate corruptions and delivered innovations and online-based services to minimize interactions between officials and taxpayers.

Earlier, the Corruption Eradication Commission arrested Handang Soekarno, an official at the Finance Ministry’s Tax DG, for allegedly receiving bribes from PT E.K Prima Ekspor Indonesia country director Rajesh Rajamohanan Nain in exchange of easing the company’s tax arrears.

According to Sri Mulyani, not only the case has damaged public’s trust in the institution, but also betrayed the value and principles of Finance Ministry’s officials to be committee to integrity.

ANTARA