SBY, please axe the 'fiskal' tax<\/p>\n
When I came to Indonesia in 1958, optimism was in the air. My
\nhusband had a Master's degree in Economics and wanted to build up
\nhis country. Bread cost seringgit (Rp 2.5); one could catch a
\nclean, safe Opelet (a six-seated public transport) on Jl.
\nThamrin; I bartered for a tailor-made suit with a potted orchid;
\ntrash was collected regularly twice a week by the division of the
\nMinistry of Public Works without extra cost; I got real bad
\ndysentery; I learned Bahasa Indonesia and settled down to family
\nlife.<\/p>\n
I find, that nobody in the government bothers to care what
\ngoes on in society now, because the elite powerbrokers have a
\nnarrow-sighted and narrow-minded feudalistic attitudes toward all
\npeople not from their \"level\". However, we are now in the year
\n2005, not 1910! -- The majority of government personnel do not
\ncare about their country, they only think of the money they can
\nmake from exploiting it, all the while slowly killing \"the goose
\nthat lays the golden eggs\".<\/p>\n
There is a fatally wrong and arrogant perception in the minds
\nof most who have power. If major industries move out of Indonesia
\nbecause they cannot bear the illegal fees any longer, a minister
\nexclaims: \"Let them go! We don't need them\", instead of improving
\nthe situation.<\/p>\n
The departure tax, fiskal, has remained in place \"so that
\nfamilies are discouraged from leaving the country and will spend
\ntheir money in this country\" (again; stupid reasoning by a
\ngovernment official). Isn't that like imprisonment\/house arrest?
\nAnd where does the money go anyway? Those Indonesians who reside
\noverseas can travel 2-3 times a year in and out of Indonesia, and
\ndo not have to pay it.<\/p>\n
However, if they stay longer than 180 days in Indonesia, they
\nalso have pay Rp 1 million to be able to leave the country. Is
\nthat fair -- to be punished for staying longer than six months in
\none's own country? Even if they are not working, they have to be
\ntaxed? What about elderly citizens that want to visit their
\nchildren and grandchildren abroad, since it is cheaper for Oma
\n(grandmother) or Opa(grandfather) to travel than having the
\nfamily of four or six travel back to Indonesia? I find the
\ndeparture tax a disgrace to Indonesia and in violation of the
\nbasic right to freely move in and out of a country without
\nrestrictions.<\/p>\n
I pray for the president, that he keeps his strength to combat
\nthe leeches that are sucking this country to death and will defy
\nhim in every possible way. I also hope that the people around the
\npresident learn to behave appropriately in public and not insult
\na security guard verbally and show him \"the finger\" when asked to
\nkindly move his car -- which had a Mobil Istana (presidential
\ncar) sticker in the front window -- and not block the entrance to
\na mall.<\/p>\n
SUHARTO, Tangerang, Banten<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sby-please-axe-the-fiskal-tax-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }