The same old names again

A certain feeling of unhappiness greeted the government announcement earlier this month of the names of the biggest taxpayers for 1995. People have seen the same old names appearing on the list each year, ever since the 200 biggest taxpayers were announced for the first time ten years ago. Hasn't any new big company or rich individual emerged during those ten years?

We tend to agree with the observation that over the years it is the same old names which grace the list of our biggest taxpayers and this reality is really one of the problems that besets our present national economic order. There is a long- standing perception that only a few corporations are enjoying our national economic pie. Apart from creating an adverse psychological impact in the form of widespread jealousy, this situation is also believed to be economically detrimental. Bankruptcy of just one of those corporations would rattle the foundations of our economy.

In this context the internal revenues sector is not to blame since taxes merely represent the fruit of economic growth. Rather, the situation is the result of a long-term process involving various aspects of economic policy. Therefore efforts to further widen the access to the market and to optimize the market mechanism should be stepped up. This is important in preparing our national economy for the advent of the new global economy and correcting the existing imbalance in our economic performers.

-- Kompas, Jakarta