In the handwritten letter signed on Friday, Sri thanks the ministry’s director general of taxation, Ken Dwijugiasteadi, and all the tax officials for their service to people applying for the tax amnesty.

"In the morning, afternoon, evening and up until the early hours, everyone participated in handling the public enthusiasm with patience, attention, smiles and spirit to show that tax directorate general is trustworthy and needed by our people," she said in her letter made public on Sunday.

In the first period of the tax amnesty program from July 1 to Sept 30, the program generated Rp 97.1 trillion (US$7.45 billion) in income from penalty fees, or 58.85 percent of the Rp 165 trillion targeted by the government. It saw total assets of Rp 3.38 quadrillion declared and Rp 135 trillion in assets repatriated.

The minister suggested that that achievement was a good basis for reforming and improving the tax office to gain more trust as the country's backbone.

"Congratulations on the achievement of the first stage of the tax amnesty and on really good teamwork," she said, adding that the ministry would boost efforts to reach the 2016 tax income target.

The success of the program would also serve as encouragement to strengthen public compliance in tax payment for the benefit of Indonesia, Sri went on.

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