Sri Mulyani Wants Tax Payment as Easy as Buying Phone Credit

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said that she is trying to raise the national tax ratio. She believed that an easy tax payment system could increase the tax compliance rate.

"I have told Pak Robert [Tax Director-General] and his team that I want the tax payment system is as easy as buying phone credit. If it can be done in a minute via mobile banking, tax payment should be easier than that," said the minister during a meeting with the House of Representatives (DPR) Commission XI on Monday, June 17, 2019.

Sri explained that the government determined to meet the target of 2019 tax ratio of 12.2 percent. In 2018, the tax ratio had reached 11.4 percent. Based on the ministry's data, the tax ratio in 2020 was projected to be around 11.8 to 12.4 percent.

According to the Minister, the tax reform in the administrative sector and tax payment process were necessary to help boost the tax ratio. Law enforcement, she added, was also needed to raise the tax compliance rate.

Tax Directorate General, Sri added, has provided an online tax payment system or e-billing and annual tax return form (SPT) report system called the e-filing system.

"Therefore, we need to provide convenience. So, a reform in the administrative sector and the payment process has become significant. On how to simplify the process to compliance, payment, and so on," Sri Mulyani concluded.

HENDARTYO HANGGI