Taxpayers have mixed reactions on radio taxes

JP/3/Radio/ lead 10 pts 3 cols

Reaction mixed to radio tax collection

JAKARTA (JP): Taxpayers have reacted in different ways to the ongoing door to door system of collecting radio taxes by the municipal administration.

Several residents of plush West Jakarta housing complexes, for example, seemed to be at odds with those from other districts, at least until late last week when the tax collection putsch, which began in mid-January, ended.

M. Zuchri, the head of West Jakarta Revenue Office who was in charge of day-to-day tax operations, said it was difficult to collect taxes from residents living in elite housing complexes in the mayoralty.

Reluctant tax payers, according to tax collectors, included residents of the Grawisa and Taman Duta Mas housing complexes in West Jakarta, and Pluit and Sunter in North Jakarta.

"Some closed their doors to give the impression that no one was inside, or their housemaids showed up, telling us that their employers weren't at home or were out," said Muslim, a tax collector and member of the radio ownership registration and radio tax collection team (TP3R).

Another member of the team, Mukhlis, said his visits were more often than not greeted by a chorus of barking hounds and housemaids who insisted that their employers were out.

On the other hand, Brem Endra Dewa, the head of the city's tax collection effort, told The Jakarta Post his subordinates did not encounter such difficulties in collecting radio taxes from residents of housing complexes in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta, Gudang Peluru in South Jakarta, Bali Mester in East Jakarta, and Tomang in West Jakarta.

"In Tomang, a radio owner arrived at the office of the community unit to pay the tax at 10 p.m.. He even brought his radio in anticipation of the need to check it," Brem said.

Some even regretted that the tax collection period ended late last month, Brem said, adding that they asked the officials to continue collecting the taxes.

According to Brem, the public was delighted to know for sure where to pay the radio tax, especially since the rate is only Rp 3,000 for each radio they own.

Briefing

"Before collecting the tax, we, of course, briefed residents through their heads of subdistricts or community units on why we collect the tax," Brem said, adding that the rapport established through the briefing may determine the success rate of collecting the tax.

Brem told the Post that through Thursday afternoon the City Revenue Office had collected Rp 105 million.

Delinquent taxpayers beware! The head of the City Revenue Office, Fauzie Alvi Yasin, warned those who do not pay the tax by the end of this year that they will have to pay a fine of 50 percent on top of their total radio tax.

"If they are still in arrears with their payments the following year, the fine will be increased by another 50 percent. If, however, they still fail to pay a year later, their radios will be confiscated," Fauzie promised.

According to Zuchri, the radio tax of Rp 3,000 for each radio owned applies to those who have owned their radios from 1991 until the present. Those who possessed their radios prior to 1991 are required to pay a Rp 1,800 tariff, while those who pay the tax late, after March 31, 1994, must pay an additional Rp 1,800 fine. (06)