House Commission I: Military Involvement Must Not Intimidate Taxpayers

House of Representatives Commission I Chairman Utut Adianto has warned that the involvement of the Indonesian National Armed Forces alongside the National Police to monitor taxpayers must not be intended to intimidate. “If this is about our tax revenue, it must not frighten taxpayers,” Utut said after a meeting at Commission I in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (20/7). The Deputy Secretary General of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle also suggested that the plan should first be discussed with taxpayers who make large contributions. According to Utut, the state or government must still explain the purpose of involving the military and police. “If this is to be implemented, at least invite the major taxpayers first and tell them, ‘This is what the state wants, this is how it is,’ that is the gist of it,” Utut said. Utut admitted that he does not yet know the purpose of involving the military and police to monitor taxpayers. However, he expressed support as long as the aim is good. “What we must guard most in this republic is moral hazard. They are given an order, and the officers carry out additional duties. That is what we must safeguard,” he said. The involvement of the military and police in monitoring taxpayers is stipulated in the Director General of Taxes Circular Letter Number SE-8/PJ/2026 concerning Guidelines for Taxpayer Compliance Monitoring. The circular was issued by Director General of Taxes Bimo Wijayanto in Jakarta on 15 July 2026. Under the circular, the military and police personnel involved are village supervisory non-commissioned officers and community security and order supervisory police officers. These personnel are specifically involved in building information networks for monitoring registered taxpayers, unregistered taxpayers, and regions. “Monitoring activities are carried out through various methods and approaches, such as visitations, canvassing, direct observation, building information networks (through village supervisory non-commissioned officers and community security and order supervisory police officers), assessment using remote sensing technology, web scraping, and utilising media information…,” Bimo stated, as quoted from the General section of the circular.