Cigarette tax

Cigarette tax
increase needed

From Koran Tempo

Vice President Jusuf Kalla has said that increased state
revenue is needed to develop health and educational facilities,
including additional revenue from higher cigarette tax.

It is right to raise the tax on cigarettes. In fact, the tax
should even be doubled or tripled, given that most smokers will
continue to buy cigarettes as they are addicted to nicotine.

The important thing is that the government should maintain
tight control as industrialists and their cronies might tempted
to print forged duty tags and report fictitious cigarette sales.

Unless a control and inspection team is set up, a vicious
circle will follow, with some people growing even richer due to
this sort of fraud.

Meanwhile, the government should also be transparent as
regards its expenditure and avoid waste, because the majority of
Indonesian people remain poor and badly need help if they are to
be able to enjoy a decent living.

WOLTER SOESILO
Jakarta