Environment tax

Environment tax

From Media Indonesia

I would like to comment on the editorial: Polluter has to pay and the report entitled Environment tax on vehicles using gasoline (page one of Media Indonesia, Oct. 4).

The Jakarta administration is planning to enforce an environment tax of Rp 2 per liter of gasoline. This will boost the administration's revenues tremendously. With the acquired funds, will the city purchase equipment to reduce environmental pollution?

The matter should also be viewed from the aspect of equity. The state-owned oil company Pertamina, as the only seller of leaded fuel, is not yet in a position to offer an alternative to fuel users. It stands to logic that Pertamina should share in the tax, say fifty-fifty.

If the buyer only has to pay an environment tax, it is not just. In the meantime, the seller goes on collecting his profits from the sale of unleaded fuel, which continues to pollute the environment.

With the accumulated funds, will the Jakarta administration become transparent toward the public? What steps will it take to reduce pollution?

In my opinion, before Pertamina is capable of selling unleaded gas and doing away with leaded gasoline in the country, the proposal for an environment tax should be thoroughly reviewed.

J. FADJAR LELONO

Bekasi, West Java