President Jokowi Instructs Tax Officers to Seize Opportunity in Tax Amnesty

President Jokowi gives directives to 700 tax officers on the implementation of tax amnesty on Thursday (28/7), at the State Palace, Jakarta

President Joko ‘Jokowi’ Widodo asserted that he notices the immense enthusiasm of the business people towards the tax amnesty program from three disseminations that have been carried out.

The President took an example of dissemination in Surabaya where 2,000 people were invited yet 2,700 people attended the event and in Medan where the invitees increased from 2,000 to 3,000, and at the end, it was attended by 3,500 people. Therefore, the President considered that we now have the momentum and opportunity. It now depends on the internal of the taxation offices, whether they can serve the people or not.

“That is the key. The key lies in the Directorate General of Taxation as well as the tax officers. We must be proactive and seize the opportunity. We must do something. Once again, the time has changed, and we have the momentum,” President Jokowi said during his directives to Echelon I, II, and III officials of the Directorate General of Taxation on Thursday (28/7), at the State Palace, Jakarta.

He has not carried on the dissemination on tax amnesty yet, but later, the President will visit Singapore, Jakarta, Makassar, Semarang, Bandung, and other cities, the President further said.

“I will pay a visit personally and send messages to the people that the Government is serious and would make all–out efforts on tax amnesty,” the President firmly said.

However, President Jokowi reminded all that even though the Government already works so hard, but if the officers are not ready, we will fail. ”Once again, we must be proactive, seize the opportunity, and must not discourage people,” the President added.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy Darmin Nasution, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs Wiranto, Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of National Development Planning (PPN)/ the Head of National Development Planning Agency Bambang Brodjonegoro, Indonesian National Police Chief Gen. Tito Karnavian, Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Chairman Agus Rahardjo, Financial Services Authority (OJK) Chairman Muliaman Hadad, and Governor of Bank Indonesia Agus Martowardojo also attended the event which was attended by 700 participants. (FID/OJI/ES) (RAS/MMB/YM/Naster)