Fuad supports better tax administration services
Fuad supports better tax administration services
SEMARANG (JP): Tax Director General Fuad Bawazier reaffirmed over the weekend the need for more tax administration services to support higher tax compliance among the public.
"The attitude, behavior and livelihood of tax officials should continue to be improved to remove the prejudice against the T-men who have created a bad image among the people," Fuad told a meeting concerning tax issues at Diponegoro University.
He stressed the need for better understanding and cooperation between the public and the government to support the tax campaign.
Tax compliance, he said, is crucial for achieving self- reliance in development financing, one of the primary objectives of the current second phase of the long-term (25 year) development program.
"Tax affairs are not the responsibility of the tax directorate general alone, but of all government agencies," he noted.
Tax, Fuad said, actually constitutes a transaction between the government and the people which should be conducted in a fair and balanced manner.
"The people hand over part of their income in the form of tax payments to the government, which in turn is obliged to provide good services," he explained.
He said that taxation also has a democratic function because taxpayers have the right to demand that the government be accountable for the money collected.
Fuad pointed to the steady increase in tax receipts over the past decade, especially after the overall tax reform in 1984, as the reason why 60 percent of total government revenues are from tax as opposed to around 21 percent 10 years ago.
He cited three other functions of tax-- a source of government revenues, an instrument to promote investment and a means of enhancing income redistribution.
Fuad believes in the role higher learning institutions play through seminars, workshops, surveys studies and publications in supporting the tax campaign.
"The tax directorate general has set up cooperation programs in education, research and public services related to tax matters at various universities," he said.
Earlier on Saturday morning, Fuad and Prof. Muladi, the rector of the Diponegoro University, signed a five-year cooperation program between the university and the tax directorate general.
The program covers the development of graduate and post- graduate studies, training, studies in taxation and various other public information services to promote tax awareness among the public.
Students have a crucial role in promoting tax awareness "because they are the future taxpayers," Fuad stated. (vin)