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Second phase of tax amnesty draws little interest so far
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Public funds – President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo talks with a tax officer serving people signing up to the tax amnesty program at the tax office on Jl. MI Ridwan Rais in Jakarta on Sept. 28. Jokowi has praised people’s participation in the program. (Antara/Presidential Office/Cahyo Bruri Sasmito)
T
he first week and a half of the tax amnesty’s second phase, which began on Oct. 1, has generated little interest, as reflected in a sharp decrease in activity at tax offices in Jakarta.
News website Kontan.co.id reported slow business at the tax office headquarters on Jl. Gatot Subroto and the South Jakarta tax office on Jl. Jendral Sudirman.
Late last month, the two offices bustled with long lines of taxpayers applying to enter the program, including high-profile businesspeople.
The headquarters received some 10 people at the front desk on the ground floor on Tuesday, 11 days into the second phase, which is aimed at small and medium enterprises.
The second floor of the building was also deserted, kontan.co.id reported.
The service and information director at the tax directorate general, Hestu Yoga Saksama, said the second phase, which will end on Dec. 31, has seen little interest so far. However, he said he was sure that toward the end of the second phase, the offices would receive more applicants, because Indonesians usually moved at the last minute.
The first phase saw the amnesty offer draw a growing number of applicants in the last few days.
Although seemingly slow, Hestu said in the 11 days, the government had received 12,000 applications for the tax amnesty from all over Indonesia. They are mostly small and medium enterprises.
“We have collected Rp 222 billion [US17 million] in tax fees,” he said.
He said the government did not have a target for the second phase. (evi)
