TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has just signed the Finance Minister’s Regulation on Income Tax (PPh) on imported goods.
Sri Mulyani raised the tax to control the current account deficit. “The government must take action to reduce the prone to the potential for the balance of payments," she said at a press conference at the Ministry of Finance, Wednesday, September 5.
Of the 1,147 raised-tax imported goods, Sri Mulyani divided the three categories of goods and their reasons. For 719 commodity items, the PPh 22 rates increased from 2.5 percent to 7.5 percent. Included all items used in the process of consumption and other purposes. The reason is that the growth of domestic industries that needs import supply will be maintained.
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Then, 719 commodity items, the PPh 22 rates increased from 2.5 percent to 7.5 percent. The reason was to encourage the use of domestic production.
Furthermore, 210 commodity items, the PPh 22 rates increased from 7.5 percent to 10 percent. This category included a luxury item such as CBU cars and big motorbikes. The increase was made to improve the domestic balance sheet.
Sri Mulyani said that in the current situation, the use of luxury goods is not important for Indonesia, she is more concerned with the stability of the trade balance, so that the national economy remains stable in the chaotic conditions of the global economy.
CHITRA PARAMAESTI