Acknowledging Numerous Complaints, Purbaya to Overhaul Coretax System

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa stated that he will continue to improve the Coretax system, which to date has received numerous complaints from taxpayers.

In a media briefing in Jakarta on Wednesday, the Finance Minister acknowledged that the issues with the Coretax system are not only caused by technical constraints but also relate to design and suspected loopholes that could be exploited by certain parties.

The Finance Minister revealed that initial investigations have uncovered several irregularities in the system, including repeated disruptions where processes run without clarity before exiting on their own.

“Coretax is a bit odd. Yesterday I investigated and found something looping around. Suddenly it loops and exits again. What’s going on? It turns out there’s a system accessing a service from one company that I’ve already said not to use anymore. But it’s being used again,” said Purbaya.

This issue does not stand alone. He assessed that from the beginning, there were weaknesses in the Coretax system design, which were then exacerbated by integration with third-party services that are not fully controlled.

Purbaya suspects that the loopholes in the system could potentially be exploited by certain parties, especially due to relatively free access by vendors into the system.

Nevertheless, Purbaya has not yet been able to confirm whether this condition was intentional or the result of poor planning.

Going forward, his side, particularly the Directorate General of Taxes, will overhaul it comprehensively, including reorganising integration with external parties and fixing the system structure deemed problematic.

“For the tangled looping issue earlier, we will ensure it does not use the service from that slow company. And for the Coretax software itself, we need to keep improving it. Here, there is a team for continuous improvements,” he said.

In addition, improvements will also target design aspects and ease of use so that the system can be accessed more widely without dependence on additional applications.

The state treasurer emphasised that the Coretax overhaul will be carried out gradually, considering that the system is a new programme that is still being refined.

The Finance Minister also highlighted the user experience, which he deemed not yet ideal. The Coretax interface is said to be unfriendly, both in terms of language and usage flow, thus complicating taxpayers’ access to services.

“That’s the public interface, why is it difficult? If you use that software, it’s smooth,” said the Finance Minister.