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Ministry to probe taxes of imported books sold at Big Bad Wolf
Taxes vary for books. Science-related books, for example, may be exempt from taxes.
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Visitors crowd the 2019 Big Bad Wolf, the biggest book bazaar in the world, at the Indonesia Convention Exhibition (ICE) BSD in Tangerang, Banten. The bazaar offers 5.5 million books for 24 hours non-stop from March 1 to 11.
(Antara/Muhammad Iqbal)
F
inance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati has said the ministry will investigate the tax and import duties of all imported books sold at the 2019 Big Bad Wolf (BBW) exhibition from March 1 to 11 in Jakarta.
Sri Mulyani said she had yet to make a conclusion on the status of import income tax, value added tax (VAT) and import duties of imported books exhibited and sold at the popular event.
"We have to investigate because there are so many. I also like the books and I also pay attention to the books on sale," she said in Jakarta on Tuesday in response to a question on the low prices of imported books sold at BBW 2019.
Meanwhile, the ministry’s customs and excise director general, Heru Pambudi, added that he would check whether the books displayed at the event complied with regulations. "I`ll check the report later," he said as quoted by Antara.
Taxes vary for books. Science-related books, for example, may be exempt from taxes.
This is stipulated in a 2013 circular issued by the Customs and Excise Directorate General. The circular also rules income taxes and VAT exemptions for textbooks, scripture and religious textbooks.
However, Heru said it was not easy to categorize books. "Science is broad in definition, so I will review the issue later," he said. (bbn)
