Govt upbeat over 2002 tax revenue target

Govt upbeat over 2002 tax revenue target

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Despite the Bali bomb blasts, the government expressed optimism that it would be able to meet its tax revenue target of Rp 180.99 trillion (US$19.5 billion) this year.

Director general of taxation Hadi Purnomo said that as of Oct. 23, his office had managed to collect Rp 136.1 trillion in taxes or 76 percent of the annual target.

It would be possible to collect the remaining Rp 44 trillion over the remaining months, Hadi said.

"The 2002 tax revenue target is still achievable," Hadi was quoted by Antara as saying on Tuesday in Medan.

Earlier, Hadi said the Bali bombing, which left more than 190 dead, could cause the country to lose Rp 10 trillion in tax revenue.

The government is seeking to increase tax revenue to reduce the budget's dependence on foreign loans.

The government initially targeted tax revenue at Rp 184.7 trillion this year, but the target was lowered to Rp 180.99 trillion in September.

Under the draft budget, proposed by the government prior to the Bali bombing, the government targeted tax revenue for 2003 at Rp 246 trillion.

But, following the Bali bombing, the government had announced that it would revise many assumptions in the 2003 draft budget.