Tax deduction for paying alms

BANDA ACEH, Aceh: A 1999 Indonesian law on setting off religious alms against income tax -- specifically in the case of individual taxpayers -- comes into effect in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam province this June.

An official of the Aceh provincial agency for religious alms (Bazis), T. Chairul Anwar, said on Monday that Bazis had already sent out about 3,000 blank deposit receipts to several government and private institutions in Aceh.

"Once filled in, the receipts can be used as evidence of payment for setting off against income tax. This is not applicable, however, to businesses, companies or corporations," Chairul Anwar said citing Law No. 38/1999. -- Antara.