Indonesian govt says author tax cuts support long-term growth - ANTARA News
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said tax incentives for authors could support long-term economic growth by encouraging more people to write and publish books.
Speaking in Jakarta on Tuesday, Purbaya said Indonesia still lacks authors, particularly scientific writers.
He said the incentives are expected to encourage more people to write and publish books, ultimately improving the quality of Indonesia’s human resources.
“The impact may not be immediate, but in the long term. A year or two after books are published, readers may become more knowledgeable,” he said.
Purbaya added that lower taxes for authors could encourage a wider variety of books, including fiction and non-fiction works.
The policy would also help provide the public with more credible information sources instead of relying on unverified social media content, he added.
“We want Indonesian authors to be more active in writing because their tax burden will be lower,” Purbaya said.
Under a new economic stimulus package, the government plans to introduce a 1.5 percent final income tax rate for authors.
Coordinating Economic Affairs Minister Airlangga Hartarto said the incentive is part of President Prabowo Subianto’s campaign promises.
The government is also preparing transportation incentives, including ticket discounts during school holidays and the Christmas-New Year holiday season.
The government will also continue the National Internship Program, with its fourth batch scheduled to begin in July 2026 targeting 150,000 participants with a Rp4.14 trillion (US$232 million) budget.
A national vocational program will also target 220,000 vocational school graduates and 50,000 laid-off workers, supported by a Rp2.12 trillion budget.
“All of these are expected to support economic activity in the second quarter,” Airlangga said.
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Indonesian govt says author tax cuts support long-term growth
May 26, 2026 20:47 GMT+700
File photo - A child browses books at a book exhibition in Bandung, West Java, on Sept. 28, 2025. (ANTARA FOTO/Raisan Al Farisi/foc)
Translator: Imamatul Silfia, Raka Adji