Monday, June 2, 2014, | 3:17 wib
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta- The Fair Tax Forum encourages pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates to open their Annual Tax Returns (SPT). Researchers from the Prakarsa Association who is also a member of the Tax Forum, Maftuchan, assessed the opening of the SPT is evidence of moral initiatives to support transparency in tax governance.

“Because we need leaders who are concerned about improving the tax sector,” Maftuh said, during a discussion in Cikini, Sunday, June 1, 2014. “It can also be a moral education to encourage citizens to actively pay taxes.” (Also read: Boost Tax Receipts, Candidates Must Be Serious).

According to him, a candidate for president or vice president who is willing to open his tax return is a candidate for leaders who understand the tax function. From there, said Maftuh, it can be seen whether the prospective leader is honest and clean and does not tax the tax.

“Moreover, right now there are many presidential and vice-presidential candidates whose backgrounds are entrepreneurs,” he said. “From there we can see which taxes are paid according to property or even tax.”

Maftuh admitted in Law Number 16 of 2009 regarding General Provisions and Tax Procedures Article 34, tax payments from taxpayers are confidential data and cannot be opened just like that. “But what is needed is the moral will of the prospective leader to open the tax return, so that citizens will obey paying taxes.”

Another Tax Forum member, Maryati Abdullah who is also the Coordinator of Publish What You Pay Indonesia, said that the presidential and vice-presidential assets report must also be accompanied by SPT. “Without SPT, we know that he paid the tax according to the provisions or even only a little,” she said on the same occasion.

Maryati also alluded to the idea of a Mental Revolution carried by presidential candidate Joko Widodo. According to her, one of the realizations of the idea was the Mental Revolution in taxation. “Namely by opening a tax return and show that so far pay the tax accordingly,” she said.

REZA ADITYA

Source: Tempo