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)