Government urged to include non-tax revenues in budget
Government urged to include non-tax revenues in budget
JAKARTA (JP): Members of the House of Representatives (DPR)
Budgetary Commission yesterday criticized the government for not
accounting for non-tax revenues in the state budget.
"It is time now for the government to introduce a new ruling
on non-tax incomes because of their great potential to replenish
the state budget," Mubha Kahar Muang, a member of the commission,
said in a hearing with Minister of Finance Mar'ie Muhammad here
yesterday.
She expressed her concern over the fact that there are many
potential financial resources in ministries and state
institutions which have not been accounted for in the state
budget.
Citing an example, she said that her commission discovered
that the ministry of forestry is now holding some Rp 4.2 trillion
in cash for reforestation development.
"Of the total fund, only 17 percent was allocated through the
state budget," said Mubha, who is also a member of the ruling
party, Golkar.
Sis Hendarwati, another member of the commission, concurred
that the forestry ministry fund could be used to support the
state budget.
"Moreover, the fund was actually collected from forest
concessionaires for supporting the ministry's reforestation
scheme," she told The Jakarta Post.
"I believe that there are many similar sources of revenue at
various ministries and institutions that have not been accounted
for in the state budget," she said.
Deficit
Early this year, Mar'ie reported that the state budget for the
1993-1994 fiscal year suffered from a deficit reaching nearly Rp
1.8 trillion.
The state budget for the current 1994-1995 fiscal year is
expected to balance at Rp 69.75 trillion. Some Rp 4.29 trillion
is expected to come from non-tax revenues, notably dividends from
state companies and profits from domestic fuel sales.
Aberson Marle Sihaloho, a member of the Indonesian Democratic
Party, also agreed that the non-tax incomes could increase the
revenues of the state budget.
"Transmigration and city police, for example, have the
potential to generate additional funds for the state budget," he
told the Post after yesterday's hearing.
"I don't think fees and fines collected by the police for
traffic penalties, for example, have been transferred to the
finance ministry," he added.
Mar'ie said his ministry shares the House members' views.
"As you know, we are now formulating special rulings on the
management of non-tax revenues which have not been accounted for
in the state budget," he said without elaborating.(fhp)