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View all search resultsTax office denies military role in monitoring taxpayers
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Civil servant participants in the first wave of the 2026 Reserve Component (Komcad) basic military training program chant slogans after a graduation ceremony at Halim Perdanakusuma Air Force Base in Jakarta on June 5, 2026. A total of 1,758 participants completed the training and were inducted into the national reserve force. (Antara/Fakhri Hermansyah)
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he Directorate General of Taxes (DJP) has dismissed speculation that village supervisory officers (Babinsa) from the Indonesian Military (TNI) will be involved in collecting taxpayer data, after a draft internal circular sparked criticism over what many viewed as another example of the military’s expanding role in civilian affairs.
The draft circular dated July 15, which outlines updated guidelines for monitoring taxpayer compliance, drew scrutiny over the weekend after social media users highlighted provisions listing Babinsa alongside the National Police's neighborhood security officers (Bhabinkamtibmas) as part of the Tax Office's "information network".
The document also mentions field visits, canvassing, direct observation, remote sensing, web scraping and media monitoring among the methods used to monitor taxpayer compliance.
The reference to Babinsa quickly prompted a backlash, with critics arguing it reflected the TNI’s growing involvement in civilian affairs under President Prabowo Subianto's administration.
Responding to the criticism, the DJP said in a statement on Monday that Babinsa and Bhabinkamtibmas would not collect tax data or conduct audits, only provide limited assistance in coordinating field activities when requested.
“The presence of Babinsa, Bhabinkamtibmas and village officials are limited to supporting coordination in the field when necessary, as has long been the practice in various government activities,” the DJP wrote on Instagram, emphasizing that the arrangement was not new.
Read also: Militarizing civilian space
