Hotels pay Rp 3b in tax arrears

JAKARTA: After being threatened by the city administration, several tax evaders, mostly hotels and restaurants, have paid part of their tax arrears amounting to Rp 3 billion (US$375,000).

City Revenue Agency head Deden Supriadi confirmed on Friday that the tax evaders had paid Rp 3 billion from total tax arrears of Rp 58 billion.

Deden revealed that the tax evaders who had started to pay their arrears, were Ambara Hotel, Plaza Hotel, Hotel Mahakam, Hotel Bukit Indah, Hotel Sudi Mampir, Hotel Saleh and several others.

"We have summoned those who have not started to pay their arrears. They promised to pay," he was quoted by the city's official website beritajakarta as saying, without mentioning the names of the tax evaders.

On July 1, the administration pledged to take stern action against tax evaders and issued warning letters to five of them: Omni Batavia Hotel with tax arrears of Rp 1.62 billion, Sano Hotel owing Rp 1.02 billion, American Chillis restaurant owing Rp 465 million, Pondok Laut restaurant owing Rp 106 million Nusantara Hotel owing Rp 67.62 million.

However, the administration did not issue similar letters to the big four tax evaders, Sahid Jaya Hotel with tax arrears of Rp 13.27 billion, Dunkin Donuts with arrears of Rp 4.37 billion, the Park Plaza Hotel with arrears of Rp 2.57 billion and Orchid Hotel owing Rp 2.37 billion. -- JP