TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Firdaus Ilyas from Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) recently questioned about the tax obedience of Indonesia’s wealthiest who in average mostly have a deposit over Rp2 billion. Firdaus suspects that most wealthy people have not paid their tax duties.

“We have a large number of wealthy people in the natural resources sector as brokers and many other positions, but have they contributed to the nation? I think not,” Firdaus said on Tuesday, May 16.

Based on the data provided by LPS on February, bank accounts with a balance over Rp2 billion increased 0.17 percent, which equates to 239,318 bank accounts. That phenomena was accompanied by a 0.94 percent increase in deposits, from Rp2,769 trillion in January into Rp2,795 trillion in February.

Despite the increasing number of bank accounts, the fact still shows that the state’s tax income (PPh) in 2015 reached a mere Rp4 trillion to Rp8 trillion. Firdaus added that the numbers should have reached Rp200 trillion.

“There are a large number of wealthy people, but not a lot are obedient. Where is our tax justice? The average worker gets taxed. How about the wealthy people that are free to roam the country without paying their taxes,” Firdaus questioned.

Firdaus hopes that the tax amnesty program that started on July last year and expired March 2017, could kick start the government’s attempt to repair Indonesia’s tax system.

DESTRIANITA