Aria Bima Responds to 'Stop Paying Tax' Movement in Central Java
Deputy Chairman of House Commission II Aria Bima has characterised the "Stop Paying Tax" movement gaining momentum in Central Java as a social alarm indicating that the public feels it is being treated unfairly, particularly as vehicle tax bills have risen significantly compared to the previous year.
"Vehicle tax is especially sensitive because it directly affects household expenditure," Aria said on Thursday, 19 February 2026.
The legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) explained that what has occurred in Central Java is not technically a tax rate increase, but rather the withdrawal of subsidies that had been in place during 2025. Vehicle taxes had already risen last year following the implementation of a 66 per cent surcharge (opsen) policy.
Nevertheless, Aria argued that the removal of subsidies — which effectively feels like a tax increase to the public — is inseparable from the impact of the central government's cuts to fiscal transfers to the regions. He said local governments are now seeking new revenue streams after their fiscal resources were curtailed.
According to him, the tax refusal phenomenon in Central Java has the potential to spread to other regions, particularly those taking similar measures. "I am not blind to the fact that this fiscal pressure could drive other regions to take steps that feel like vehicle tax increases," he said.
Aria warned that calls to stop paying tax are dangerous, as they risk harming the public itself since regional revenue funds public services. He therefore called on local governments and the Ministry of Home Affairs to anticipate any expansion of the movement.
He said one anticipatory measure would be to provide adequate explanations whenever a tax policy is to be implemented. Local governments, he added, must also ensure transparency by making information on how tax revenue is spent easily accessible to the public.
"Explain the components of the bill in simple terms — what has changed, what remains the same, and why the figure is now different," Aria said.
The movement to refuse tax payments in Central Java has been reverberating across social media for several days. It was triggered by vehicle tax increases implemented without prior notification. Pamphlets bearing the words "Stop Paying Tax" have been circulating widely across social media platforms. An image uploaded by the account Agus*** on TikTok on Friday, 13 February 2026, for instance, was shared by 34,000 people and attracted more than 5,000 supportive comments.
Thoriq Baihaqi Firdaus, a resident of Kendal in Central Java who supports the movement, said the call emerged from public frustration over changes to tax charges without prior notice.
The 24-year-old freelance writer recounted that he had just paid his vehicle tax and replaced his motorcycle registration plate at the local Samsat office on 10 February 2026.
The amount he was required to pay rose significantly to Rp 475,000, up from approximately Rp 300,000 previously. He said the increase had become a new burden amid the economic uncertainty squeezing him. "Especially as several other things, including basic necessities, have also gone up at the start of this year," he told Tempo on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
"Vehicle tax is especially sensitive because it directly affects household expenditure," Aria said on Thursday, 19 February 2026.
The legislator from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP) explained that what has occurred in Central Java is not technically a tax rate increase, but rather the withdrawal of subsidies that had been in place during 2025. Vehicle taxes had already risen last year following the implementation of a 66 per cent surcharge (opsen) policy.
Nevertheless, Aria argued that the removal of subsidies — which effectively feels like a tax increase to the public — is inseparable from the impact of the central government's cuts to fiscal transfers to the regions. He said local governments are now seeking new revenue streams after their fiscal resources were curtailed.
According to him, the tax refusal phenomenon in Central Java has the potential to spread to other regions, particularly those taking similar measures. "I am not blind to the fact that this fiscal pressure could drive other regions to take steps that feel like vehicle tax increases," he said.
Aria warned that calls to stop paying tax are dangerous, as they risk harming the public itself since regional revenue funds public services. He therefore called on local governments and the Ministry of Home Affairs to anticipate any expansion of the movement.
He said one anticipatory measure would be to provide adequate explanations whenever a tax policy is to be implemented. Local governments, he added, must also ensure transparency by making information on how tax revenue is spent easily accessible to the public.
"Explain the components of the bill in simple terms — what has changed, what remains the same, and why the figure is now different," Aria said.
The movement to refuse tax payments in Central Java has been reverberating across social media for several days. It was triggered by vehicle tax increases implemented without prior notification. Pamphlets bearing the words "Stop Paying Tax" have been circulating widely across social media platforms. An image uploaded by the account Agus*** on TikTok on Friday, 13 February 2026, for instance, was shared by 34,000 people and attracted more than 5,000 supportive comments.
Thoriq Baihaqi Firdaus, a resident of Kendal in Central Java who supports the movement, said the call emerged from public frustration over changes to tax charges without prior notice.
The 24-year-old freelance writer recounted that he had just paid his vehicle tax and replaced his motorcycle registration plate at the local Samsat office on 10 February 2026.
The amount he was required to pay rose significantly to Rp 475,000, up from approximately Rp 300,000 previously. He said the increase had become a new burden amid the economic uncertainty squeezing him. "Especially as several other things, including basic necessities, have also gone up at the start of this year," he told Tempo on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.