The Finance Ministry is investigating fake tax refund scheme that may cost the state hundreds of billions rupiah, Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said Monday.
The scheme, by claiming value added tax refund for fictitious transactions, has become a structural problem, she told a press conference.
"Taxpayers understand the system. That's why we call it structural (problem)," she said.
The ministry has established a joint team comprising two divisions at the tax office -- the Inspectorate for Investigations and the Directorate of Internal Compliance and Official Resources Transformation -- and the Taxation Oversight Committee (KPP).
"I have asked KPP to monitor closely any development and report it to the finance minister any time because this relates to a huge amount (of losses) and tax officials who are still active or have become non-active," said Mulyani.
The tax office is investigating three fake tax refund schemes with estimates of Rp 600 billion (US$66 million). Business group with initial PHS in North Sumatra claiming fake refund worth Rp 300 billion;
Tax consultant with initial Sol issuing fake refund worth Rp 247 billion; and tax services bureau with initial W issuing fake refund worth Rp 60 billion.
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