'TVRI' levies (2)

'TVRI' levies (2)

From Republika

The Indonesian consumer institute (YLKI) deplores the use of
officials from Bakorstanasda, the regional stability coordination
agency, to collect television levies.

Mass collection of these levies should be based on legal
regulations, in the absence of which the community is entitled to
refuse making the payment.

Many members of the community have refused to pay TVRI levies
because the collection is based on a presidential decree and not
on law.

What the government should do is issue a law in support of the
TVRI levies instead of calling in Bakorstanasda. The involvement
of this agency shows that the government is reacting in a
disproportionate way to solve the problem. It is feared that this
action will give rise to new problems.

When a community becomes critical and law-conscious, a
security approach is not the solution. Trying to intimidate the
community into paying TVRI levies, by the inclusion of Armed
Forces members, will only give rise to negative feelings toward
the official personnel who stand on the right side of the law.

Therefore the Armed Forces should ask themselves whether it is
right for them to be included if the action is only intended to
scare the community into paying the levies.

YLKI is convinced that if the government has a legal basis for
collecting TVRI levies, the community will pay them. After all
the community is fairly obedient in paying other taxes which are
backed by legal regulations.

ZUMROTIN KS

YLKI board

Jakarta